30-11-2011
The Upper East Regional Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Zenabu Wasai-King, has cautioned people of the three northern regions to desist from the setting up of bush fires, an act commonly triggered by activities of local people particularly charcoal burners and farmers. She said as the World and for that matter the regions prepares to mark the World Environmental Day Celebration today, conscious efforts must be made by all stakeholders in ensuring that the minimal vegetation is protected from bush burning since its repercussions are enormous. Speaking to Radio Ghana atBolgatanga, Mrs. Wasai King said bush fires over the years have been widespread in the Upper East Region causing extensive damage on the quality of soil for farming and in most cases resulted in the loss of lives and property. It has also contributed largely to the degradation of the environment, thereby making life unbearable for most people especially those in deprived areas of the country. Consequently, a reasonable quality of farm produce including rice, millet, soya beans and other cereals are lost to bushfires, a situation she reiterated calls for stakeholders approach in tackling the issue. Mrs. Wasai King however, stressed on the urgent need for traditional leaders and the various assemblies to combat the root cause of bushfires. Traditional leaders she said should complement the efforts of the EPA by intensifying their awareness creation on the harmful effects of bushfires through community meetings and durbars. She explained that chiefs have certain level of influence on community members and could effectively mobilize the community and engage them in afforestation, and reforestation activities and establishment of fire belts. Chiefs, she stated could implement and enforce bye-laws on the environment particularly, bushfires during the harmattan season. Such bye –laws, she insisted, should be gazetted and enforce to the latter, emphasizing that stiff punishment should be meted to people who set out fires indiscriminately. In her view, indigenous practices on environmental management such as the sacred groves protection should be reinstituted to help salvage the situation. Mrs. Wasai King also cautioned the public against the indiscriminate feeling of trees for fuel and other economic and commercial purposes. She said the constant felling down of trees without replacement has gradually led to depletion of vegetation and its consequent effect is fast approaching desertification. Mrs. Wasai King once again called on the assembly and traditional authorities to team up by coming out with by laws to sanction people involved in indiscriminate tree felling. She moreover, appealed to stakeholders particularly chiefs to rekindle their common spirits to fight against the menace and also ensure that laws on tree feeling and bushfires are not just passed but effectively enforced to sustain the environment.
GBC END IA/
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