President Akufo-Addo has enacted a new legislation, the Wildlife Resources Management Act, 2024 (Act 1115), aimed at consolidating and updating all statutes concerning wildlife and protected areas.

Sponsored by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, the Act was passed by Parliament on July 28, 2023, and officially signed into law by the President on March 1, 2024.

This enactment marks the resolution of a long-standing legislative backlog, as the Wildlife Resources Management Bill had been pending before several previous Parliaments for over 15 years until its passage by the Eighth Parliament on July 28, 2023.

The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel A. Jinapor, conveyed this development in a statement issued on Monday, April 8, 2024.

“Among others, the new law brings Ghana’s wildlife law in conformity with existing policies in the sector and provides for the implementation of international conventions on wildlife to which Ghana is a signatory. It provides for a new management structure to give legal backing to the involvement of local communities in wildlife management through the creation of Community Resources Management Areas (CREMAs) and provide higher penalties and sanctions regime for wildlife offences, deterrent enough to protect our wildlife resources.”

“The law also provides for the implementation of several international wildlife conventions to which Ghana is a signatory, such as the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitats (RAMSAR), 1971, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, (CITES), 1973, the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (BONN), 1979, as well as several indicators in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” he stated.

Furthermore, Jinapor emphasized that the legislation incorporates the enforcement of various international wildlife agreements, including the Ramsar Convention, CITES, and the Bonn Convention, alongside relevant Sustainable Development Goals indicators.

He affirmed the Ministry's unwavering commitment to the effective implementation of this landmark legislation, underscoring its dedication to transparent, integrity-driven wildlife preservation and management for the benefit of all Ghanaians.