Ghana joined the rest of the world to celebrate the International Day for Biological Diversity (IDBD).
The IDBD is marked globally on 22nd May to promote biodiversity issues.
The celebration is also to increase awareness at the local, national and global levels, of man’s dependence on nature and its resources and to highlight biodiversity as the answer to several development challenges.
Biological Diversity Day is celebrated in observance of the momentous adoption of the convention of biological diversity and the Earth Summit in 1992.
In the Savannah region of Ghana, the Mole National Park in collaboration with A Rocha Ghana
and the Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Management of the University for
Development Studies (Nyankapala) organized a programme to shed light on the importance
of biological diversity to life on earth.
The program was attended by students and lecturers from UDS-Nyankpala campus, Forestry Commission Staff, A Rocha Ghana, among others.
Welcoming participants the Deputy Park Manager of the Mole National Park (MNP) Bonah Kyiri, who represented the Park manager, Chief Ali Mahama, expressed gratitude to participants for accepting to be part of the World Biodiversity Day to recognize and appreciate the variety of life forms, from the tinniest of the unseen organisms to the mightiest of animals such as the elephant, biodiversity plays an important part in shaping and sustaining our very existence.
He added that Biological diversity is not only the living things we see but the benefits and services they offer. The food we eat, the air we breathe, the fertile soil for planting (food security), the freshwater we drink, and the stability of the environment, and we should note that every species contributes to the stability of the planet.
He exposed some of the challenges faced with biodiversity in the country to the public.
“As we celebrate this day, we need to identify the very challenges to biodiversity driving species to extinction. About 90% of these are anthropogenic in nature. They include habitat destruction and fragmentation (galamsey), climate change (we hear of flooding in Dubai and Russia, Famine in Sudan and other parts of the world, and even in Ghana, food is very expensive), pollution, over exploitation, invasive species, diseases and unsustainable harvesting of natural resourcing (poaching) and many more”.
The rate of species extinction is reported a thousand times faster in this era than extinction occurring naturally in any age of time.
This loss directly affects and threatens our very existence on this planet, he added.
Have you ever heard, When the last tree dies, the last man dies?, he quizzed.
Bonah Kyiri explained that the theme for the 2024 celebration is timely and helpful since it is calling on all stakeholders to come onboard.
“The theme for this year’s World Biodiversity Day is “Be part of the Plan”. This theme is a call to action for all stakeholders to halt and reverse the loss of biodiversity by supporting the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, also referred to as the Biodiversity Plan.
Today, as we gather here, you may be asking yourself, what can I do? But am I just a student?
Each of us can be resolved and determined in the least of our capacity. I promise you that your efforts, no matter how small you may think it is, will go a long way to make a difference, he urged students.
Each one of the stakeholders has a role to play to contribute to positive biodiversity actions.
He appealed to all to educate and Raise Awareness of the need for positive actions.
Tell someone about the importance of biological diversity, support Conservation Efforts, support tree planting exercise, plant a tree, and watch that tree grow. Get involved with organizations (A-ROCHA GHANA etc.) and other NGOs and work together to protect species and their habitats.
Adopt sustainable practices, reduce the use of polythene bags, do not cut down trees without planting, avoid waste of all forms. Do not waste water, and do not overexploit nature, advocate for policy changes and reconnect with nature:
He called on all stakeholders to get motivated and execute actions to promote biodiversity.
“As we begin our activities for this week, let us be motivated and be reminded that nature has stood the test of time and we should be committed to exploring innovative solutions, that will conserve biodiversity in our communities and the nation at large. We should have a renewed vigour, sense of purpose, rekindled spirit, and determination to conserve biological diversity”.
We encourage you all to focus energies on meaningful scientific research in our facilities to bring out results that will be useful for conservation planning and action, as well as for policy formulation.
Other speakers during the program, Professor Ziblim A. Imoro – Vice Dean, Faculty of Natural Resources, Dr. Conrad Weobong – Head of Department, Biodiversity Conservation and Management, Dr. Timothy K. Aikins – Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Management, UDS.
The others include Mr. Samuel Arhin of the Forestry Commission, and Mr. Isaac Kofi Ntori of A Rocha Ghana.
Other high profile members to support the program were Mr. Godwin Poreku (UDS), George Dery (UDS), Mr. Selasie Dzitse (UDS), Ms. Francisca A. Bukari (Principal Administration Assistant), Nii Nortey ( Research Assistant), and Ishaq Mohammed (Research Assistant).
Speaker after speaker through their presentations argued in favor of implementation and positive actions to halt, restore, maintain, and promote biodiversity action plans.
Students from UDS-Nyankpala had their questions responded to by the authorities to help enhance skills and knowledge.
The team later had engagements with Senior High Schools in Damongo as part of the “leaving no one behind agenda”.
Abdulai Zulkaninu / 0242381890
