Cabinet has ordered the immediate repeal of Executive Instrument 144, clearing the way to fully restore Achimota Forest to its original status as a Forest Reserve.

Executive Instrument 144 took effect on May 1, 2022. It removed about 361.5 acres, roughly 146 hectares, of Achimota Forest from protected status.

The E.I. also included detailed survey descriptions of the specific areas to be excised from the reserve.

Its passage generated widespread public debate and criticism from environmental advocates, civil society organisations and sections of the public who argued that removing the protected status of portions of the forest could expose the land to commercial and residential development, thereby threatening one of the few remaining urban forests in the Greater Accra Region.

Speaking at the Government Accountability Series, Lands and Natural Resources Minister Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah announced Cabinet’s decision, saying government’s priority is to protect Achimota Forest for future generations.

According to the minister, the government’s position is firmly anchored on protecting the forest because of its environmental importance and its role in safeguarding the ecological balance of Accra and nearby communities.

He explained that Cabinet’s decision to revoke E.I. 144, as amended by E.I. 234, would reverse the previous changes made to the legal status of the affected portions of the reserve.

Once the revocation takes effect, all lands that were excised from the forest reserve under the Executive Instrument will revert to protected status.

Officials say Achimota Forest remains a vital ecological buffer for Accra. 

It plays a key role in carbon sequestration, air quality improvement, biodiversity conservation and temperature regulation while also serving as a major recreational area for residents.