The plan seeks to achieve the goals of raising productivity levels by tackling the key challenges mitigating against this goal through provision of effective support services in: irrigation, mechanization, fertilizer and agrochemicals, storage and rural infrastructure such as roads, energy, markets and institutions.

The Act establishes the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, defining its functions and powers. The act also makes provisions guiding the administration of the Authority and rules related to pilotage and matters of navigation of ships. It stipulates that the Authority shall plan, build, develop, manage, maintain, operate and control ports, provide port facilities and regulate the use of a port and of the port facilities.

The Act provides for the development of land, towns and other areas. It sets out the powers of the Minister and places the authority for town and country planning on the Minister, instead of the Town and Country Planning Board. The Act gives the Minister powers to appoint a planning committee for a declared planning area and establish a scheme for that area in accordance with provisions of this Act. The Minister is also given the freedom to delegate any of his/her functions for the smooth running of operations.

The Act sees to the establishment of the Scientific and Industrial Research Council. Its core functions include: taking charge of implementing government policies and plans on scientific research and development, advisory services on scientific advancements important to the country, and coordinating all scientific research in the country, for efficient use of resources.

This strategy provides a framework for the design and rollout of e-health in Ghana’s health sector. It highlights the challenges mitigating against the attainment of the set MDG goals. The strategy strives to solve Ghana’s country-specific problem of lack of resources to roll out interventions and poor funding of the health sector.

The Act gives the minister in charge powers to prohibit the importation of animals suspected of harbouring diseases into the country. It also contains sections addressing: seizure of unlawfully imported animals, slaughtering, carcass disposal, indemnity and compensation, and associated fees.

The guidelines push to complement the Fisheries Act of 2002 and the Fisheries Regulations of 2010 in curbing overexploitation of fish resources. The guidelines are important for all fishing stakeholders for information on registration and licensing of fishing vessels.

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.