TEMA WEST MUNICIPAL ASSEMBLY PLANTED 10,000 SEEDLINGS AT THE RAMSAR SITE ON THE 5TH JUNE 2021 AT THE SAKUMONO RAMSAR SITE.
The Tema West Municipal Assembly led by the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) Hon. Adwoa Amoako (Mrs.) in collaboration with the Forestry Commission and other key stakeholders on Saturday 5th June 2021 planted 10,000 seedlings to undertake the Green Ghana Initiative to recover the Municipality lost vegetation.
GREATER ACCRA REGIONAL MINISTER IN WHITE WITH THE AUDIENCES AT THE PROGRAMME.
Speaking at the commemoration of the 2021World Environmental Day under the theme “Ecosystem Restoration”. The Greater Accra Regional Minister Hon. Quartey who join in planting of the seedlings stated that, the 10,000 seedlings are expected to be planted within the Municipality lagoon.
HON. MINISTER HENRY QUARTEY DELIVERING HIS SPEECH.
He said the site, was 1,400 hectares of land designated as an internationally important wetland site in 1992 under the convention on wetland of international importance, a treaty negotiated under auspices of UNESCO and signed in 1971 in Ramsar, Iran.
Over 70 water bird species estimated to be 20,000 number of birds depend on the site resources during the migratory and reproduction periods. He said it was required that government businesses and public put in effort to address environmental issues with a further push for healthy ecosystems.
Hon. Regional Minster stated that, since his assumption of duty as Regional Minister, the Regional Coordinating Council had set up several initiatives to combat indiscipline in the city as one of the major thrusts of his vision – “Let’s make Greater Accra work”.
HON. MINISTER PLANTING THE SEEDLINGS AT RAMSAR SITE.
“One of the major activities identified under this mantra is to green empty spaces in the city after decongesting and cleaning up various places of public interest to beautify the city and at the same time ensure that it regains its glory as the capital of the city of Ghana” he emphasized.
He said that the seedlings are expected to be planted within the Municipality as part of a deliberate effort to preserve the Sakumono Lagoon.
Hon. Reginal minister called on the Municipal Assembly to collaborate with Civil Society organizations, Environmentalist, Chiefs, students and all major stakeholders to reflect on the impact of human activities on the environment and act immediately to save it.
“I therefore called on you to continue to play a vital role in maintaining biodiversity; conservation of our natural environment and restoring degraded lands in the Municipality and particularly within the Ramsar site”. The greater Accra Regional Minister later called on the traditional leaders especially the Chief of the area Nii Larbi Gbene II, to stop giving the land to the private developers since the Ramsar is a wetland and not meant for building.
In her part, the Tema West Municipal Chief Executive Hon. Adwoa Amoako stated in her welcome address assured that the Assembly is willing to continue planting of the seedlings at the Ramsar site so as to protect and preserve the land from usage. It is saddening to notice that the Ramsar site is being encroached by private developers.
The Assembly in collaboration with the Forestry Commission is taking adequate steps to adopting strategic roadmap related to non-accessibility or development within the buffer zone of the Ramsar site.
She therefore reassured to continue to engage the Traditional Authority on matters of the Ramsar.
H.E. Stephanie Sullivan, United States Ambassador to Ghana who joined other ambassadors to plant the tree seedlings at the Ramsar site, Sakumono, said living trees absorb carbon dioxide, the most prominent of the greenhouse gasses and were a critical tool in the global fight against climate change.
She explained that by taking carbon out of the air, trees helped to show the rise in global warming adding that forests were under threat on so many fronts.
H.E. Stephanie Sullivan also mentioned that, the rapid urbanization and the need for more housing for a growing population, there will be a need for more agricultural land to feed more people to restrict activities that will destroy the country’s forest reserve.
The World Environment Day is celebrated annually to the importance of nature and environment and also as a reminder that nature should not be taken for granted and must be given the needed respect for its values.
Some of the dignitaries present at the ceremony were; the Hon. Regional Minister, Henry Quartey, the MCE Hon. Adwoa Amoako (Mrs.), MP for Tema West Hon. Carlos Kingsley Ahenkorah, H.E. Stephanie Sullivan (U.S Ambassador to Ghana), Mr. John Sullivan (liaison with diplomatic community), H.E. Gregory Andrews (Australian Ambassador to Ghana), H.E. Kati Csaba (Canadian High Commissioner), H.E. Maria Eliza De Luna (Brazilian Ambassador to Ghana), H.E. Selina Ashipala Musauyi (High Commissioner of Namibia), Evilene Hansen (Deputy Head of Mission/Namibia), H.E. Pingrenoma Zagre (Burkina Faso Ambassador to Ghana) and H.E. Özlem Gülsün Ergün Ulueren (Turkish Ambassador to Ghana).
The other dignitaries were H.E. Mohammed M.O Meladi charges d’Affairs of Libya, H.E. Enrique Escorza charges d’Affairs of Mexico, H.E. Richard Mwanza (Zambian Ambassador to Ghana), Mr. Ibrahim Kalil (Guinea Embassy), Mr. Carl Ampah (UNESCO/UN), Mr. Amar Deep S. Hari and Mrs. Gurpreet Kaur (IPMC, Ghana), Aissatou Seck and Athia Niany (Senegal Embassy), Yasmeen Helwani (Musician/Green Butterfly) and Madam Helen Maku Obeng, the District 418 (D418) of the Lions Club International (LCI).
Source: TWMA/P.R.O.