Population: 18,887,626 (July 1999 est.) Land Area: Total: 238,540 sq km Land: 230,020 sq km Water: 8,520 sq km Coastline: 539 km (Source:  CIA World Factbook 1999)

Ghana                                 ..........in this page Contacts Basic Data CSD Data Ocean and Coastal Zone Integrated Decision-Making Status Capacity-building, education, training and awareness-raising Constraints Technology Information Financing Cooperation     Contacts Dr. Peter Acquah Executive Director (Att: Mr. Daniel S. AMLALO) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) MAB National Committee of Ghana P.O. Box M.326 Ministries Post Office Accra Tel: (233.21) 664697 / 664698 / 662693 Fax: (233.21) 662690 E-mail: epainfo@ncs.com.gh  Government of Ghana http://www.ghana.gov.gh/ (Source:  CIA World Factbook 1999)   SUMMARY OF OCEAN  AND COASTAL PROGRAMS Many thanks are due to the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development, the source of the information below. The information was taken from Ghana's submission to the 7th Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development (last update: January 1999). For further information on social and economic factors, natural resources, and institutional structures in Ghana see the United Nations System-Wide Web Site on National Implementation of the Rio Commitments National Information for Ghana at http://www.un.org/esa/agenda21/natlinfo/countr/ghana/index.htm   OCEAN AND COASTAL AREAS Integrated Decision-Making The Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology acts as Coordinating Ministry for decision-making in all three areas included under this issue; that is, integrated coastal zone management and sustainable development; marine environmental protection, both from land-based activities and from sea-based activities; and sustainable use and conservation of marine living resources (both of the high seas and under national jurisdiction). In order to facilitate coordination, there are a number of arrangements in place. These include: Fisheries Commission of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture; National Committee for the Implementation of Agenda 21 of the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology; and Steering Committee of the Gulf of Guinea Large Marine Ecosystem Project of the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology. Major groups are involved actively in the decision-making process dealing with oceans and seas. They are also engaged in the various training programmes relating to oceans and seas. For all three issue areas, the following Plans apply: National Environmental Action Plan Draft Integrated Coastal Zone Plan Coastal Zone Management Indicative Plan In addition, with specific reference to marine environmental protection, there is a National Oil Spill Contingency Plan All of these Plans, plus the National Wetlands Strategy Seek to provide for the preservation and sustainable use of fragile ecosystems, such as those that include mangroves or coral reefs. Legislation that has been passed in the area of integrated coastal zone management and sustainable development includes the following: Beaches Obstruction Ordinance, 1897 (Cap 240) Rivers Ordinance, 1903 (Cap 226) Wild Animals Preservation Act, Act 43, 1961 Oil in Navigable Waters Act, Act 235, 1964 Towns Ordinance, 1892 Volta River Development Act, 1961 Fisheries Law, PNDC 256, 1991 Fisheries (Amended) Regulations, 1977 and 1984. Legislation for marine environmental protection and the sustainable use and conservation of marine living resources is contained in the Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan(Draft) and the Coastal Wetlands Strategy. Status The major current uses of the coastal areas in Ghana are fishing, human settlements, tourism, industrial development, mining ñ sand winning, and oil and gas exploration. Fishing contributes about 1.7% to the countryís GDP. The sustainable use and conservation of marine living resources is encouraged through legislation, regulations, education and awareness creation programmes as well as the enforcement of existing regulations and legislation. The major problem associated with the impact of shipping on the sustainable management of coastal zones relates to pollution of coastal waters beaches, especially from residual fuel as well as residual oil from cleaning the ballasts of oil tankers. Coastal and marine based industries tend to pollute coastal areas from pollution from the discharge of untreated wastes into the marine environment. Tourism encourages the establishment of human settlements and associated industries which when not properly planned lead to the pollution of the coastal environment, and consequently unsustainable coastal development.   The primary sources of land-based pollution of the marine environment come from industries and human settlements along the coast. The wastes generated from these activities tend not to be treated. The primary sources of sea-based pollution of the marine environment are discharges of untreated wastes from ships and other vessels and oil from oil tankers. Among the major programmes in place for the three issue areas are the following:   Ghana Environmental Resource Management Project ñ Coastal Wetlands Management Component Gulf of Guinea Large Marine Ecosystem Project Fisheries Sub-sector Capacity Building Project Establishment of a Protected Wetland Ecosystem on the coast; Development and Implementation of Oil Spill Contingency Plan; Monitoring of fish stock levels and associated oceanographic parameters; Institution of a program of Monitoring, Compliance and Surveillance of the marine environment; Development of industrial pollution standards; Development of a University course on Coastal Zone Management; Increased public education on sound coastal and marine environmental practices. Capacity-building, education, training and awareness-raising   There are no formalized programmes for educating policy makers on sustainable coastal management. However, the training components of a number of projects include in them programmes which have been used in this respect. These include: Workshops and seminars dealing with the development of the Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan; Awareness programmes of the Fisheries Sub-sector Capacity Building Project; Awareness programmes of the Coastal Wetlands Project.   No specific campaigns to exist primarily devoted to awareness creation on the oceans and seas. However, the International Year of the Ocean was celebrated in Ghana with special programmes specifically aimed at children to create greater awareness in them on issues relating to sustainable development with respect to the oceans and seas. Constraints Priority constraints to implementing effective programmes in these areas include: Lack of adequately trained manpower; Inadequacy of existing legislation; Inadequacy of facilities for monitoring and enforcement of policies and legislation; Lack of awareness, especially among coastal communities, on the interaction between various development actions and the environment, particularly biological resources; Inadequacy of data on near-shore oceanographic processes; Inadequacy of financial resources for activities in the marine and coastal environment. Technology No specific issues have been identified with respect to technologies used in the marine and coastal zone. The critical factors for determining the choice of technologies include: Appropriateness and ease of application; Existence of capacity to manage the technology or availability of arrangements to make it possible to develop/build the capacity; Environmental sustainability; Cost of technology. Information Information on the sustainable management of fishery resources is contained in fish stock survey reports.   In the area of marine pollution, there are survey data. With respect to living resources other than fish, there are studies on various living resources such as seashore birds, aquatic plants and some marine animals. Information is also collected on sea-level rise from climate change and erosion.   A Monitoring, Compliance and Surveillance system is being put in place to ensure the implementation of the various programmes in the marine environment. GIS is used in this effort. Information is available only on request. It is not available on the Internet and there is no National World Wide Web address. A national programme on Indicators for Sustainable Development is being developed. This will include indicators related to the oceans and seas. Financing Financing for activities in the sector are primarily supported from the national budget. However, donor support ñ bilateral and multilateral ñ has also been obtained for specific programmes, such as the World Bank sponsored Fisheries Sub-sector Capacity Building Project. Cooperation Ghana is a Party to the following agreements: International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution of the Sea by Oil; Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matters; International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation; Convention for Co-operation in the Protection and Development of the Marine and Coastal Environment of the West and Central African Region (Abidjan Convention) Ghana also participate in the Gulf of Guinea Large Marine Ecosystem Project.    This information was provided by the Government of Ghana to the seventh session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development. Last update: April 1999. (top)

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