Ghana must not become a destination for low-quality carbon credit projects, Minority Chief Whip and Nsawam-Adoagyiri MP Frank Annoh-Dompreh has warned.

He urged the government to tighten oversight as the country positions itself in the fast-growing global carbon market.

Delivering a statement on the floor of Parliament on Thursday, he said Ghana had already laid important foundations through the Ghana Carbon Market Office under the Environmental Protection Agency and should now focus on building a credible market that delivers lasting national benefits.

“The global carbon market has suffered credibility challenges because of weak projects, inflated claims, double counting, poor community consultation and questionable additionality. Ghana must not become a destination for low-quality carbon projects. Every project must demonstrate environmental integrity and transparent benefit-sharing.”

He argued that the carbon market should not be viewed simply as a platform for buying and selling emissions reductions.

“The carbon credit market must not be treated merely as a trading platform for emissions reductions. It must be treated as a national development instrument,” he said, adding that Ghana’s approach should be guided by “real national value, real emissions reductions, real community benefits and real private-sector investment.”

Annoh-Dompreh called on the government to make regulations clearer and more predictable to attract credible investors while protecting the country’s long-term interests.

“The next step is to make the rules simpler, faster, and more predictable. Approval processes must be transparent, timelines must be clear, fees must be reasonable,” he said.

He cautioned against authorising carbon transactions that could undermine Ghana’s future climate commitments.

“Carbon credits are not ordinary commodities. They are linked to Ghana’s Nationally Determined Contributions, international reporting obligations, community assets, land rights, biodiversity, and future development space.”

“We must not sell cheap today what we may need tomorrow to meet our own NDC targets,” he stressed.

The Minority Chief Whip also insisted that communities must be central to every carbon project because many initiatives depend on land, forests and farms owned or managed by local people.

“Carbon projects should therefore proceed with proper stakeholder engagement, free and informed local participation, clear grievance mechanisms, and fair benefit-sharing.”

He urged the government to deliberately expand projects in renewable energy, agriculture, forest restoration, methane reduction, climate-smart irrigation, public transport and industrial energy efficiency, saying such investments could reduce emissions while creating jobs and supporting food security.

Annoh-Dompreh further called for greater investment in local expertise, saying Ghana should train its own professionals instead of relying heavily on foreign consultants. He proposed the establishment of a national carbon finance academy linked to the Carbon Market Office, universities and the private sector.

He also pressed for a stronger and more transparent Ghana Carbon Registry and better coordination among institutions responsible for managing the sector, warning that carbon market decisions should not remain delayed in bureaucratic processes.

While encouraging Ghana to attract credible investors with technology and financing, he cautioned against projects lacking sustainable funding or implementation plans.

“Though the carbon credit market offers Ghana an opportunity, it also carries risk. If poorly managed, it can create confusion, speculation, unfair contracts, and loss of national value. If properly governed, it can position Ghana as a leader in Africa’s green transition.”

He concluded that Ghana should remain open to carbon market investment, “but only on terms that protect environmental integrity, national interest, community rights, and long-term development.”