The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has organized a sensitization workshop for Physical Planning Officers of Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in the Ashanti Region to strengthen environmental management and compliance.
Speaking to Oyerepa News after the event, the Ashanti Regional Director of the EPA, Dr. Jackson Adiyiah Nyantekye, explained that the session was aimed at deepening collaboration between the EPA and local planning authorities.
He highlighted that the Environmental Protection Act, 2025 (Act 1124), empowers the EPA to apply sanctions against those who flout the law.
“The Environmental Protection Act 1124 prescribes severe sanctions that serve as a deterrent. Section 165 of the Act indicates that whenever MMDAs embark on rezoning that negatively impacts the environment, the EPA has the power to revoke it.
We brought together physical planning officers from across the region to educate them on the EPA’s mandate and the implications of the new law so that they do not fall foul of it,” Dr. Nyantekye said.
The EPA Regional Director expressed optimism that planning officers, after the workshop, would refrain from any activities that could harm the environment.
Participants expressed appreciation for the initiative, describing the workshop as timely and enlightening. They noted that the program had clarified the roles of physical planners in safeguarding the environment under the new regulatory framework.
“Today’s program has been exceptional. The EPA has recognized that physical planners are critical partners in environmental protection. We have gained valuable insights into our roles, and we will share this knowledge in our districts to promote a cleaner and safer environment,” one participant remarked.
The workshop forms part of the EPA’s broader strategy to build the capacity of local assemblies and strengthen environmental governance across the country.
Source: KAB
