The West Gonja municipal Assembly in the Savannah Region has on Tuesday, 20th September, 2022 launched and outdoored the West Gonja Municipal Environmental working group at Damongo.
The objectives of the committee among others will serve to provide guidance for the municipal Assembly and the promotion of sustainable environmental management initiatives in the municipality aimed at enhancing Agricultural Land Restoration in the West Gonja Municipality.
In a welcome address, the Municipal chief executive for the West Gonja municipal Assembly, Hon. Musah Karim Kusubari said, the environmental working group is targeted at minimizing the effects of climate change activities in the west Gonja municipality.
He explained that, the Agricultural land restoration project has identified some communities with rapid forest cover loss and degrading soil fertility for reclamation through series of sensitizations, trainings and planting of trees.
The MCE further explained that, majority of communities in the municipality rely sole on firewood for domestic use such as cooking, an act which has been with them since time immemorial.
Hon. Musah again explained that, the introduction of the energy saving technology by the department of agriculture with support from the Catholic relief services ( CRS ) using locally available materials in the operational communities means that the purpose of burning trees for domestic fuel would reduce substantially and encouraged other partners to implement interventions that will bring more relief to the communities in the municipality.
He noted that, the government recognizes the need for agro – forestry and other re-greening practices that do not only contribute to mitigating the negative effects of climate change but would also empower the communities economically, hence the introduction of planting for exports and rural development ( PERD ) programme and the Green Ghana campaign.
He assured that, government will continue to roll out policies that would further the transformation pace of the people and encouraged many more people to take advantage of such initiatives.
He commended the catholic relief services for coming out with such a very important intervention that seeks to preserve the environment for the future and hoping that, the beneficiary communities would become a role model for others to emulate.
He assured that, the doors of the West Gonja municipality are opened to partners who wish to corroborate their efforts in improving service delivery in the areas of agriculture, health, education, water and sanitation.
Speaking on behalf of the Catholic relief services ( CRS ), it’s head of office at Tamale, Mr. Timothy Akanpabadai Amangbey said, the enhancing Agricultural Lands Restoration project which is a one – year Pilot project is to scale-up successes and implement best practices from the regreening Africa project which is critical for sustainable land restoration interventions in the northern parts of Ghana with the target of reaching 150 direct households and restoring 500 hectares of degraded lands in the municipality.
The project, according to Mr. Timothy has set forth an objective to increase resilience of communities to climate change and to improve food security of farmer – households by scaling -up regreening practices.
He noted that, the ecosystem is stressed and suffering exploitations beyond it’s carrying capacity, and needing urgent restoration.
Mr. Timothy added that, climate change and it’s associated dangers have caused impacts on natural and human systems on all continents from rising temperatures, rising sea level to flooding and droughts of which Africa and the rest of the world has experienced various degrees of disasters contributing to the threat of food and water insecurity which is of concern to the developing world and communities as it negatively impacts on the livelihoods and wellbeing of a wide range of the worlds population.
He again said, in the developed world little is done to avert the situation, therefore causing climate crises with the activities of indiscriminate felling of trees, unregulated and illegal mining practices, bad agricultural practices and bushfires which are increasing the vulnerability of communities and households to the impacts of climate change.
He added that, there have been several calls for action through some government interventions including the green Ghana program and CRS is proud to be a partner of the environmental working group of the West Gonja Municipal Assembly, saying the will continue the collaboration to achieve the common objectives of the group.
Mr. Timothy disclosed that, the exploits of some individuals including traditional leaders are all geared towards a sound resource and environmental management system such as banning of charcoal production and issuing of fines on it’s activities is a sign of commitment and readiness to help solve the situation.
He noted that, the introduction of the environmental working group to communities by CRS has seen a number of fuel wood used for cooking in households reduced significantly by 2/3 and called for the promotion of such technologies to ensure that all households in the municipality adopt them to improve energy efficiency and reduce the rate of deforestation resulting from fuel wood harvet and use.
He added that, issues concerning the environment is a collective responsibility that needs everyone’s attention and action and therefore, appealed to the municipal Assembly, Traditional Authorities and all other stakeholders to gracefully support and continue to collaborate effectively with each other to ensure the realization of a Greening productive Ghana.
The group is made up of representatives of key Decentralized Department and agencies as well as stakeholders with vested interest in Environmental and Natural resources management and constituted through the department of Agriculture in collaboration with the Catholic Relief Service ( CRS ).
Source: Padfm.com.gh/Kumatey Gorden
