BRACE Trains Over 100 Participants in Land Rights, Extractive and Environmental Laws
A Rocha Ghana's BRACE project conducted training sessions across the Eastern, Western, and Ashanti regions in August 2024, reaching over 100 participants from approximately 63 target groups across mining communities. Led by legal experts from Merton & Everette LLP, the workshops focused on natural resource governance, environmental rights protection, and accountability in the extractive industries.
The comprehensive curriculum covered Ghana's constitution, UN human rights resolutions, Free Prior Informed Consent (FPIC) principles, evidence gathering techniques, and compensation rights for land and resource damage. Participants learned about key regulatory agencies including the Environmental Protection Agency, Minerals Commission, and Forestry Commission, along with practical avenues for collective action such as organizing peaceful protests and requesting town hall meetings.
The diverse participant base included traditional council members, youth leaders, women's groups, media representatives, and NGO/CBO staff. Interactive sessions and role-playing exercises enabled attendees to develop confidence in applying their knowledge to real-world scenarios.
According to project coordinator Daryl Bosu, mining activities have led to devastation of water bodies and forest reserves. Lead lawyer Oliver Barker-Vormawo emphasized that collaboration across sectors is essential to combat environmental threats.