Ghana’s Cabinet Revokes E.I. 144 to Protect Achimota Forest Reserve
- Cabinet directed the immediate withdrawal of Executive Instrument 144, which had excised 361.5 acres from the Achimota Forest Reserve since May 2022
- Lands Minister announced the reversal at the Government Accountability Series, citing the need to preserve the forest for future generations
- The revocation of EI 144 and its amendment EI 234 means all previously excised lands will revert to fully protected status
Ghana's Cabinet has directed the immediate withdrawal of Executive Instrument 144, restoring the Achimota Forest Reserve to its full legally protected boundaries and ending a four-year dispute over the fate of one of Accra's most important ecological assets.
Lands and Natural Resources Minister Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah made the announcement at the Government Accountability Series on Wednesday, July 16, 2026.
Source: UGC
He stated that protecting the forest for future generations remains a central priority of the current administration.
In a e report by Citinewsroom, Kofi Buah pointed to the reserve's critical role in sustaining Accra's environmental balance as a key reason for the decision.
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EI 144 and its contested history
Introduced on 1 May 2022, EI 144 had carved out approximately 361.5 acres, equivalent to 146 hectares, from the reserve's protected area.
The move drew immediate public condemnation and sustained opposition from environmental groups, who warned that removing the land from protected status would expose it to commercial and residential development, eroding what many consider the city's primary urban green lung.
The Cabinet's directive covers both EI 144 and its subsequent amendment, EI 234, effectively nullifying all boundary changes introduced since 2022.
Once the revocation process is finalised, the excised portions will return to their original protected classification.
What the Achimota Forest provides
The Achimota Forest Reserve serves multiple ecological functions for the capital. It contributes to carbon sequestration, helps regulate local temperatures, improves air quality, and supports biodiversity within the urban environment.
Beyond its environmental role, the reserve functions as a recreational space for Accra's residents, offering green cover in a rapidly expanding city where such areas are increasingly scarce.
The reversal marks a significant policy shift and a direct response to years of civil pressure from conservationists and residents who argued that the excision of forest land set a dangerous precedent for urban green space in Ghana.
Government to release Achimota Forest land
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that the former government had confirmed plans to release 262 acres of Achimota Forest land to the Owoo family.
The then Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, explained that the decision to release the land was in fulfilment of an agreement reached between the erstwhile Mahama administration and the Owoo family.
He said the release of the land to the family came with stringent measures to ensure that individuals seeking to take possession of it met certain conditions.
Source: YEN.com.gh
