Kumasi Declaration: Ghana’s Media and Stakeholders Demand Urgent Ecosystem Restoration Action

Ghana’s leading environmental experts, journalists, and civil society actors have jointly issued a national call to action to reverse the country’s escalating ecosystem degradation. This urgent demand is contained in the Kumasi Declaration, adopted at the conclusion of the Second Biennial Media Forum on Natural Resources, Environment, Climate Change and Science (BiM NECS 2) held in Kumasi.

The declaration sets out a twelve-point framework to guide collaborative efforts between media professionals, scientists, and policymakers to promote sustainable land use and ecosystem restoration. Among the core proposals are the launch of an annual nationwide ecosystem restoration media campaign, the creation of formal exchange platforms between journalists and scientific researchers, and the integration of indigenous knowledge systems into environmental storytelling. The declaration also advocates the use of community feedback, multilingual outreach, and fact-based performance tracking tools to hold government and institutions accountable to restoration targets.

Described by participants as a working document rather than a ceremonial communique, the Kumasi Declaration represents a renewed effort to position media as a central player in Ghana’s environmental recovery strategy. “We are in a climate crisis. Media must become central players in both advocacy and accountability,” said Albert K. Sore, Chair of the BiM NECS 2 Planning Committee.

Held under the theme “Ecosystem Restoration: The Politics, the Science, the Human and the Economy,” the forum brought together a diverse mix of participants, including environmental scientists, policymakers, regional EPA officials, forestry and water resource specialists, development partners, and media leaders from across the country.

The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) backed the Kumasi Declaration, calling on media organizations to create dedicated environmental desks and ensure their reporters are equipped with the tools and knowledge to cover climate, science, and land degradation with depth and consistency. “Environmental stories are not optional extras—they are development stories,” noted the Ashanti Regional GJA President, who stressed the need for consistent editorial focus on issues related to Ghana’s natural resource management.

The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) also pledged support for the Declaration, highlighting its transition into a fully-fledged authority and reaffirming its commitment to increased public engagement through the media. According to an EPA official, the media remains one of the most powerful tools for public education and accountability in Ghana’s efforts to combat environmental destruction.

Delivering the keynote address, Prof. Mercy Derkyi of the University of Energy and Natural Resources emphasized the importance of aligning scientific research, political will, and grassroots involvement in the national restoration agenda. She warned that Ghana risks losing critical ecological systems unless restoration efforts become scientifically informed, community-centred, and long-term in vision. Prof. Derkyi also proposed the creation of a national restoration data hub to coordinate efforts under major global frameworks such as the Bonn Challenge, REDD+, and the Green Ghana Project, while cautioning against fragmented and duplicative projects.

The forum was organized by the Media Platform on Environment and Climate Change (MPEC), which has long championed stronger media involvement in environmental advocacy. Mary Ama Kudom-Agyemang, Executive Director of MPEC, called on media practitioners to go beyond ceremonial coverage and commit to investigative and human-centered reporting that challenges both government and corporate actors. “The media must not only inform but influence—holding power to account and bringing the voices of affected communities to the forefront,” she stated.

Participants concluded the forum by pledging to sustain the BiM NECS Network as a permanent platform for cross-sector collaboration, with a focus on evidence-based environmental communication, community engagement, and institutional accountability. Plans are underway to develop regular government scorecards, public reports, and media monitoring tools as part of this long-term commitment to ecosystem restoration.