Adaklu Kicks Against Bush Burning, Tree Felling
Adaklu Kicks Against Bush Burning, Tree Felling
3 February 2009
published by www.newtimesonline.com
Ghana — A project to educate and sensitise the chiefs and people of Adaklu in the Adaklu Anyigbe District to put an end to the indiscriminate bush burning and felling of trees is underway.
It is under the auspices of the Ecunimical Sustainable Agriculture Development (ECASARD), a Non-Government Organisation focusing on sustainable agriculture development to assist and support all the 33 communities forming the Adaklu traditional area to initiate innovative methods to increase their yield through modern agriculture methods.
The situation over the years had resulted in the drying up and poisoning of streams, rivers and water bodies which is affecting the yield of crops such as maize and cassava and wanton destruction to life and property.
At a forum with traditional authorities, opinion leaders, elders, the youth and farmers of the communities, Dr Richmond Nfodwo, executive director, Evangelical Presbyterian Relief Agency, urged traditional authorities to collaborate effectively with the youth to prevent bush fires from destroying the environment which would affect their yield and impoverish them.
He expressed concern about the negative activities of farmers whereby they result to bush burning during the harmattan season to prepare their farms for planting.
Dr. Nfodwo advised the youth to be vigilant and expose those in the habit of indiscriminate bush burning and protect the environment for prosperity.
Togbe Aklaku Ahorney II, Regional Programme Officer of the Environmental Protection Agency, attributed climate change to wanton destruction of the environment through negative activities such as bush burning, pollution of rivers water bodies, depletion of the forest and the ozone layer.
He explained that “the tidal waves which occurred in other parts of the country and the world was as a result of environmental degradation.
Togbe Ahorney appealed to traditional authorities, elders and opinion leaders to assist and support fire volunteers to prevent bush fires.
He reminded the communities of the bush fire law, PNDC, Law 222 which is still in force to arrest and prosecute people indulging in bush fires and warned those involve to desist or have themselves to blame when they are arrested.
Fred Agbogbo, regional co-ordinator of ECASARD advised farmers to guard against bush fires and the felling of tress since they were negative methods of protecting the environment but consult agriculture extension officers to educate them on a farming practices that would not destroy the environment.
