The Association of Women in Sustainability Professionals (AWSP) has commended the government for restoring the Achimota Forest to its original status following the revocation of Executive Instrument (E.I.) 234.
The Association described the decision as a bold step towards strengthening environmental protection and safeguarding the country’s ecological systems.
In a statement issued in Accra and signed by its President, Dr Thelma Frimpong Mensah, and copied to The Ghanaian Times, the Association said the value of the Achimota Forest lay not in direct economic returns but in the critical ecological services it provided to the capital.
It noted that the forest, the largest remaining urban forest in Accra, served as a habitat for more than 200 plant species and 150 bird species, improved air quality and acted as an important ecological buffer against climate change.
The statement added that the forest also functioned as a spiritual retreat and an important cultural heritage site, and said its restoration would strengthen Ghana’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement.
The AWSP called for the forest to be managed as a living ecosystem capable of sustaining Accra’s resilience against climate change, heat stress and pollution.
It further stressed the need to place women at the centre of the forest’s restoration, noting that their leadership in sustainability planning, community engagement and advocacy was indispensable.
The statement also called for transparent governance and strict enforcement of environmental laws, as well as urban-focused strategies that prioritised ecological services.
In addition, it advocated inclusive tree-planting initiatives and the integration of the forest into urban planning.
“As sustainability professionals, we view this decision not only as a legal correction but as an opportunity to embed justice, equity and inclusion into forest governance,” the statement said.
BY TIMES REPORTER
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