Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have expressed support for key recommendations of the Constitution Review Committee (CRC) on environmental governance, while calling on government to publish a clear roadmap for implementing constitutional reforms.
The groups described the proposals as a timely opportunity to strengthen accountability and improve the sustainable management of Ghana’s natural resources.
The endorsement came during a meeting convened by the Citizens’ Platform on Constitutional Reform (CPCR) to examine the CRC report titled Transforming Ghana: From Electoral Democracy to Developmental Democracy.
Participants said the report presents a strong basis for reforming governance systems in the environment, land, energy, and natural resources sectors to promote equitable and sustainable development.
The CSOs particularly welcomed proposals to introduce a public trust doctrine that would vest ownership of minerals, water bodies, public lands, and other natural resources in the people of Ghana, with the state acting as trustee for both present and future generations.
They argued that the proposal, along with binding fiduciary duties on institutions responsible for natural resource management, could significantly improve transparency, accountability, and long-term stewardship.
The groups also backed recommendations to adopt 12 guiding constitutional principles for environmental governance, including intergenerational equity, Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), and the precautionary principle.
Other proposals endorsed by the CSOs include limiting compulsory land acquisition strictly to defined public purposes with fair compensation, strengthening parliamentary oversight of natural resources, establishing Community Benefit and Heritage Funds, and creating a Natural Resource Commission.
They further welcomed the suggestion to recognise ecocide as a constitutional offence, while urging Parliament to clearly define its scope and establish robust enforcement mechanisms.
According to the CSOs, effective enforcement should include legal accountability for breaches of public trust obligations, mandatory annual audits, and expanded access to public interest litigation.
However, they identified several gaps in the proposals, including the absence of clear mechanisms for civic environmental responsibility under Article 41(k), the exclusion of the polluter-pays principle, limited protections for environmental defenders, and the need for a specialised Environmental and Natural Resources Court.
The organisations stressed that constitutional reforms must not be delayed given rising environmental pressures such as illegal mining, deforestation, and increasing strain on water resources.
The Platform therefore called for the immediate publication of the full CRC report, the release of a comprehensive reform roadmap with clear timelines, and the establishment of a legislative and referendum calendar in line with Articles 289 to 291 of the Constitution.
It reaffirmed its readiness to support public education and technical engagement processes, while ensuring that communities most affected by environmental degradation remain central to the reform agenda.