The regulations contained therein are issued with respect to health and safety in (land) mining operations in Ghana. They also concern the protection of the environment and, in particular, prescribe technical and safety standards for mining operations and provide with respect to mining operation plans and mining operation permits.

The 1995 forest policy follows the 1948 policy. It pushes for an ecologically sound and sustainable development of a national forest estate and timber industry that ultimately preserves the cultural heritage of the country. The strategies for the management of forest reserves, protected areas and wildlife protected areas are (i) soil conservation, (ii) protection of water resources, (iii) biodiversity conservation, (iv) environmental protection and (v) sustainable use of natural resources.

The regulations make provisions for the appointment of the National Biosafety Committee as the national focal point on biosafety for purposes of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. It defines the functions, powers and duties of the Committee.

The policies and strategies note the importance of the livestock sector in Ghana in terms of its contribution to the economy, food security, nutritional requirements, and source of income and livelihood of the resource-poor rural households. It seeks to address the dwindling productivity of the sector and the inability to meet national demand through targeted, efficient and effective sector-specific policies, plans, and strategies.

The policy serves to address land issues contributing to the degrading and drying up of rivers and streams. It hopes to tackle challenges with preservation and conservation of Ghana’s water resources. The buffer policy harmonises all disjointed regulations in the country in relation to buffers bordering water bodies or river systems.

The law establishes the Veterinary Council of Ghana, responsible for the management of veterinary practices and practitioners with regard to maintenance of high standards of veterinary practices in the country.

The Act establishes the Atomic Energy Commission and defines its functions and powers. The Commission shall, among other things, advise the Government on questions relating to nuclear energy, science and technology and make proposals to the Government for legislation in the field of nuclear radiation and radioactive waste management.

The strategy is in fulfilment of the obligations of Ghana on the sustainable usage of its biological resources, signed and ratified at the Convention on Biological Diversity in 1992. To check the rapid deforestation in the country due to agricultural expansion, mining, timber extraction, and other socio-economic activities, the strategy pushes for: capacity building to ensure an in-depth assessment of biological resources, promotion of community participation in sustainable management of biodiversity, and the strengthening of the management of forests and protected areas.

The act establishes the Ghana Meteorological Agency with its powers and responsibilities. It is charged with advising the government on meteorological issues, issuing weather reports and forecasts, approving the establishment of a meteorological station, advising the country on weather situations, and providing consultancy services, among other key functions.

The guidelines contained in the document aim to ensure effective treatment of malaria and bring about a reduction of the malaria burden in the country. The revised policy sets out to ensure lessons learnt from the previous policy are incorporated into the implementation of this current edition. It is based on changes in prevailing health conditions and modes of treatment.

The act contains provisions and guidelines for effective regulation of towns, dispute management, and promotion of public health. It confers on the Minister, the power to define the boundaries of a town, and the powers to suspend the usage of the act wholly or partially in a town.

The regulations contained borders around registration, licensing, operational requirements, export price, quality control, penalties, and appeal procedures. The regulations are in relation to the external marketing of cocoa.

The act amends the Millennium Development Authority Act of 2006 to make further provisions for the implementation of the terms of the compact.

The National Youth Policy is themed “Towards an empowered youth, impacting positively on national development”. The policy recognises the importance of youth as a valuable human resource that needs to be harnessed by the government and other stakeholders for national development. The core principles of the policy are patriotism, self-reliance, honesty and integrity, participation, equity, access, leadership, good governance, gender mainstreaming, respect, and coordination and collaboration. Areas such as agriculture, ICT, science, research and technology, and entrepreneurial development among others are prioritised.

The broad rules state that no person shall sell, distribute, prepare, or export goods manufactured by industrial processes in Ghana without having the Ghana Standard Certification Mark or other related certifications.

The Regulations amend the Fisheries Regulations, 2010 principally by inserting new regulations with regards to measures charged at deterring and eliminating Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing.

An Act by the President and Parliament to establish the National Information Technology Agency to regulate information communications technology and to provide for related purposes.

The regulations apply to existing and proposed dams determined by the Water Resources Commission to have a safety risk. The dam safety unit, established by these regulations will see to reviewing and approving of safety procedures and guidelines, inspection and classification of dams, and creation of public awareness, among others.

The policy has objectives to: promote training, research, and technology development that supports sustainable forest management; to manage and enhance the ecology of the forest; and to promote the rehabilitation of regraded forest landscapes through various forms of reforestation.

The National Seed Policy pushes to make available for farmers, improved seed varieties, developed through research. This is to reduce the usage of old and farm-saved seeds to ultimately drive production levels and increase farmers’ income and livelihood. It serves as a guideline to all stakeholders in the sector in terms of role coordination.