Framework environmental legislation tends to be comprehensive in scope, empowering the
competent authority to make detailed regulations on air, soil and water pollution and exploitation
of and trade in wild flora and fauna. Modern laws of this type provide a useful legal basis for making
wetland-specific subsidiary regulations but it must be emphasized that unless such regulations are
actually issued and enforced, these very broad laws are not sufficient to control or manage wetland
loss and degradation. African countries that already have laws suitable for this purpose include
Senegal, Gambia, Ghana, Nigeria, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania and Uganda