Hon. MESTI Minister, Ophelia Mensah-Hayford (MP), Swore in Board of Directors for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Accra, Wednesday, 16th October 2024 – The Hon. Minister for Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation (MESTI), Ophelia Mensah-Hayford (MP), swore in the newly constituted Board of Directors for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) during a formal ceremony in Accra today.

The newly inaugurated Board is expected to provide strategic leadership and direction to the EPA, strengthening its role as the country’s foremost environmental regulator. The Board’s responsibility includes overseeing the agency’s mandate to protect the environment, enforce regulations, and promote sustainable development across Ghana.

The Board was constituted as follows

1. Prof. Kwasi Appeaning Addo – President’s Nominee (Board Chair)
2. Dr. John Kingsley Krugu – Executive Director, Environmental Protection Agency
3. Mr. Ben Ampomah-Nkansah – Representative, Ministry of Health
4. Rev. Patrick Nomo – Representative, Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation
5. Mr. Clifford Edmund Frimpong – Representative, Ghana Standards Authority
6. Mr. Stephen Djaba – Representative, Association of Ghana Industries
7. Mr. Samuel Aggrey – Representative, Ministry of Finance
8. Dr. Mohammed-Sani Abdulai – President’s Nominee
9. Mr. Oliver Boachie – President’s Nominee
10. Ms. Maame Kesewa Eshun – President’s Nominee
11. Mrs. Catherine Agyapomaa Appiah-Pinkrah – Representative, Ministry of Education
12. Prof. Mike Yaw Osei-Atwenebona – Representative, Water Resources Institute, CSIR
13. Mr. Dela Kemebor – Representative, Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development

In her address, Hon. Ophelia Mensah-Hayford commended the new Board members and highlighted the importance of the EPA in addressing the country’s pressing environmental issues. She urged the Board to prioritize the effective enforcement of environmental policies and regulations while promoting innovative solutions to environmental challenges such as pollution, deforestation, and climate change.

The Minister stressed the government’s commitment to supporting the EPA in achieving its goals of safeguarding Ghana’s natural resources, enhancing biodiversity, and promoting the health and well-being of its citizens. She expressed confidence in the Board’s ability to uphold the agency’s mission, noting that their diverse backgrounds would bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table.

Prof. Kwasi Appeaning Addo, the newly appointed Board Chair, expressed gratitude on behalf of the Board for the trust placed in them. He assured the Minister that the Board was fully committed to working diligently towards enhancing environmental governance and ensuring the sustainability of Ghana’s natural resources. He also emphasized the need for collaboration with all stakeholders, including industries, local communities, and international partners, to effectively carry out their mandate.

The newly sworn-in Board will work closely with the EPA’s leadership to oversee the agency’s operations, ensuring that it effectively enforces environmental laws and continues to play a pivotal role in Ghana’s sustainable development.