GEMP takes off in 3 Northern regions

Page 15, Feb 19, 2010
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah

THE Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology has began the implementation of a five-year Ghana Environmental Management Project (GEMP) in the three northern regions to improve on land management practices in the area.
Through the assistance from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), an agency of the ministry, they are implementing the programme, which also aims at conserving water and farm lands to increase food production, generate incomes and reduce poverty so that indiscriminate and deliberate bush fires that lead to land degradation could be mitigated.
The Sector Minister, Mrs Sherry Ayitey announced that in response to a question posed by the Member of Parliament for Offinso North, Mr Augustine Collins Ntim who wanted to know what measures were being put in place to address the problem of desertification arising from perennial bushfires in the Trans-Savanna areas in the country.
She added that the 24 selected districts in the three northern regions, which fall within the Trans-Savanna areas were receiving funds to grow economic trees such as cashew and mangoes.
Mrs Ayitey added that the ministry was also pursuing a continuous environmental education in communities and schools to create awareness among the people.
“We have re-activated the District Environmental Management Committees and the Community Environmental Management committees to facilitate sensitisation and educational programmes at the district and community levels throughout the country,” she stated.
The minister said that the Ghana National Fire Service and NADMO had a comprehensive training programme at the Community Fire Volunteers, which had been formed in several communities in these regions.
Mrs Ayitey noted that bushfires had the potential to wreck havoc on the economic development of the country, especially in the Trans-Savanna areas by inducing desertification adding that district assemblies were being encouraged to enact bye-laws on bushfires to enable the courts to punish potential offenders.