TIG Post

Tag: Environment Minister

  • Ato Forson, Armah Buah to act as Defence, Environment Ministers respectively

    Ato Forson, Armah Buah to act as Defence, Environment Ministers respectively

    President John Dramani Mahama has directed the Finance Minister, Hon. Cassiel Ato Forson, and the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Emmanuel Kofi Buah, to act as caretaker ministers for the Ministry of Defence and Environment, Science and Technology Ministers, respectively.

    This was revealed in a statement from the Office of the President on Thursday, August 7.

    This has become crucial following the tragic helicopter crash at Adansi Akrofrom in the Ashanti Region that claimed the lives of eight individuals, including the Defence Minister, Dr Omane Boamah and the Minister for Environment, Science, and Technology, who doubles as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamale Central, Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed.

    The other six individuals who are deceased include acting Deputy National Security Coordinator and former Minister for Food and Agriculture Alhaji Muniru Mohammed, Vice Chairman of the National Democratic Congress Dr. Samuel Sarpong, former Parliamentary candidate Samuel Aboagye,Squadron leader Peter Bafemi Anala, Flying Officer Twum Ampadu, and Sergeant Ernest Mensah.

    Ghana as a whole is mourning the tragic loss of eight individuals after a helicopter crash in the general area of Sikaman near Adansi Akrofuom in the Ashanti Region. Meanwhile, President John Dramani Mahama has declared three days of national mourning in honour of the victims.

    Chief of Staff Julius Debrah has directed that all flags are to fly at half-mast until further notice. Engaging the general public yesterday, Julius Debrah revealed the identities of the deceased individuals after the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) earlier reported that its airforce helicopter Z9, which took off this morning at 0912 hrs from Accra and headed for Obuasi, was off the radar.

    The President and government have extended their condolences and sympathies to the family of the comrades and the servicemen who died in service to the country.

    Several statesmen, international dignitaries, and sympathizers have extended their deepest condolences to the incumbent government and Ghana as a whole.

    Yesterday, the remains of the deceased were flown to the airforce base. State officials and bereaved families were present for a brief ceremony to honour the deceased.

    Burial has been postponed for the Muslim victims who passed away following a tragic helicopter crash at Adansi Akrofrom in the Ashanti Region.

    This was revealed by the Deputy Minister for Roads and Highways and Member of Parliament for Tamale North, Alhassan Suhuyini, on Thursday, August 7.

    The burial was expected to be conducted today, Thursday, August 7, as per Islamic tradition. However, speaking to the media, the Deputy Minister stated that the recent development is the state of the remains of their bodies. According to him, a new date will be fixed after a conclusion has been made.

    Meanwhile, a team of investigators from the Ghana Air Force and other military personnel have departed to the helicopter crash site in Sikaman, where eight individuals lost their lives.

    Per reports, the team is being led by the area’s Assembly Member and local residents familiar with the forest terrain. Yesterday, the Ghana Armed Forces informed the general public that it has commenced investigations into the unfortunate incident.

    Profile of Defense Minister
    Dr. Edward Kofi Omane Boamah is a prominent Ghanaian politician, medical doctor, and Health Policy Planning and Financing Analyst with a rich background in strategic negotiation, solution-oriented leadership, environmental security and ICT including cybersecurity.

    He possesses a strong educational foundation from esteemed institutions, including the University of Ghana Medical School, the London School of Economics and Political Science, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and Harvard University.

    His diverse educational background empowers him to merge his medical expertise with a deep understanding of financial planning and strategic analysis when solving complex challenges.

    Dr. Omane Boamah has consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership in various key roles. As Minister for Communications and Spokesperson for the President of Ghana, he championed several vital cybersecurity initiatives including Child Online Protection and led the rollout of the Government of Ghana’s 4G LTE network (GOTA) which provides enhanced communication capabilities for security agencies.

    As a former Civilian Employee of the Ministry of Defence, he has an unwavering commitment to national and human security. His innovative thinking and excellent negotiation skills, positions him as a forward-thinking leader, ready to address the complexities of modern security challenges and an advocate for the institution’s dignity and well-being of service women and men.

    Profile of Environment Minister

    Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed was a distinguished Ghanaian politician, educator, and public servant who played a significant role in shaping national policy and advocating for sustainable development.

    Born on December 14, 1974, in the Northern Region of Ghana, he pursued his education at Tamale College of Education, the University of Ghana, and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, earning a Master of Arts in Development Studies along with additional qualifications in international relations and development planning.

    He began his political career as a Member of Parliament for the Nanton Constituency in 2013 and later represented the Tamale Central Constituency.

    ‘Over the years, he served as Deputy Minister for Information and Media Relations and Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry. In February 2025, he was appointed Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, a role in which he championed environmental sustainability and technological advancement.

    Murtala Mohammed was known for his bold speeches, grassroots engagement, and commitment to public service. He was deeply religious, respected within both political and Islamic communities, and maintained a private family life as a married father of three.

  • “This is a fight we must win for the future of our nation” – Environment Minister on galamsey

    “This is a fight we must win for the future of our nation” – Environment Minister on galamsey

    The government has reaffirmed its commitment to eradicating illegal mining, with the Minister of Environment, Science, and Technology, Hon. Ibrahim Murtala Muhammad, declaring that the battle against galamsey is non-negotiable.

    Speaking at a press briefing on Wednesday, March 19, he emphasized that tackling illegal mining is not just an environmental issue but a national security priority.

    “This is a fight we must win for the future of our nation,” he declared, stressing that all individuals involved—whether political figures or not—would face the full force of the law.

    He compared galamsey to an act of terrorism, warning that its destructive impact on water bodies, farmlands, and communities would no longer be tolerated.

    The press briefing followed the government’s decision to revoke all small-scale mining licenses issued after December 7, 2024. This move comes in response to a report submitted by a Technical Committee established by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Science, and Technology.

    The committee was tasked with reviewing the current small-scale mining licensing regime and proposing reforms to curb illegal mining.

    Lands and Natural Resources Minister, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, outlined some of the key recommendations in the report, which include a major restructuring of the Community Mining Scheme, decentralizing the issuance of small-scale mining licenses, and repealing LI 2462—a law granting the President the power to approve mining activities in forest reserves.

    “The report has armed the ministry, and by extension the government, with all the information necessary to make punitive and radical decisions in the small-scale mining sector,” Hon. Armah-Kofi Buah stated. He commended the committee for its diligent work, describing its findings as a crucial blueprint in the government’s fight against illegal mining.

    Among the most significant recommendations is the dissolution of the current Community Mining Schemes, which the committee found to be ineffective in delivering benefits to local communities. In their place, the government will establish Small-Scale Cooperatives, which will be structured to ensure proper community representation and economic empowerment.

    “Existing Community Mining Schemes exist in name only,” the minister pointed out. “The findings show they are not benefiting the communities as intended. They will be disbanded and replaced with cooperatives formed through due diligence and proper community representation.”

    Hon. Murtala Muhammad echoed the urgency of the government’s mission, underscoring the need for a coordinated approach involving all relevant ministries and stakeholders. He noted that comprehensive reports such as this provide a strong foundation for designing sustainable strategies to combat illegal mining.

    “Comprehensive reports like this are essential to streamline our measures against the galamsey menace,” he stated. He assured the public that the government would take decisive action to prevent further environmental destruction and hold all perpetrators accountable, regardless of their political affiliation.

  • Ghana goes into Space Science exploration after cabinet approves National Space Policy

    Ghana goes into Space Science exploration after cabinet approves National Space Policy

    Minister of Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation, Dr. Kwaku Afriyie, has disclosed that the National Space Policy has been approved by the Cabinet.

    This approval paves the way for Ghana to harness the benefits of space science in advancing national development endeavors.

    Once fully implemented, the policy will serve as a comprehensive framework for leveraging space science and technology to drive the country’s progress.

    The announcement was made during the Minister’s News briefing, organized by the Ministry of Information in Accra on Wednesday. This briefing provided an opportunity for the Minister to update the public on the Ministry’s various policies and interventions.

    Dr. Afriyie also mentioned that his Ministry will collaborate with relevant government departments and the private sector to establish the Ghana Space Agency. This collaborative effort aims to ensure the effective utilization of space-related resources for the nation’s growth and development.

    “This agency will coordinate the development of human capital, infrastructure, and the overall growth of the space science sector,” Dr Afriyie said.

    Under the Ghana-Korea K-Innovation Partnership Programme, the Minister revealed that his ministry has formulated a comprehensive 10-year masterplan to boost the commercialization of research and innovation in the country.

    Additionally, the Minister reaffirmed his ministry’s dedication to global disarmament initiatives. In collaboration with the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), they are actively reviewing the Biological and Toxin Weapons Bill to implement the 1972 Convention on the Prohibition of Bacteriological and Toxin Weapons.

  • Australia promises a novel approach to the extinction crisis

    The Australian government has announced that  there won’t be any more species extinctions and the country will no longer be known as “the mammal extinction capital of the world.”

    More than 100 endangered species, including well-known ones like the koala, will receive priority protection under new conversational tactics.

    The plan includes a promise to protect a third of the continent’s land mass.

    Earlier this year a report found Australia’s environment is in shocking decline.

    Many native animals and plants face threats including habitat loss, invasive pests and weeds, climate change, and more frequent and destructive natural disasters.

    Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek said the need for action has never been greater.

    “Our current approach has not been working,” Ms Plibersek said in a statement. “We are determined to give wildlife a better chance.”

    The goal to list 30% of Australia’s land as protected under national environment laws will help vulnerable species and habitats, she said.

    The 10-year strategy also aims to improve resilience to climate change, build “insurance” populations of some key species in predator-free zones, and better monitor existing populations.

    It calls for more efforts to reduce the impact of feral cats, foxes, and a prolific weed known as gamba grass, and to better harness Aboriginal expertise in managing the environment.

    Twenty areas with high densities of threatened species will be specifically targeted. They include Kangaroo Island in South Australia and the Blue Mountains in New South Wales, which were devastated by bushfires in 2019-20.

    The 110 species to be prioritised include the Australian sea lion and the rarest marsupial in the world, Gilbert’s Potoroo – of which only about 100 remain.

    Ms Plibersek says the strategy is the government’s answer to the State of the Environment report, which found Australia has lost more species to extinction than any other continent.

    The survey of the country’s ecological systems concluded that more than half were in a poor state.

    Threats are not being adequately managed, meaning they are on track to cause more problems, it said.