In a bid to tackle climate change and its global impacts, the Paramount chief of the Bongo Traditional Area in the Upper East Region, Naba Salifu Atamale Lemyarim enskinned 25 environmental chiefs in the Bongo District.
The environmental chiefs have been tasked with the responsibility to sensitize people within their catchment areas on the dangers of tree felling, and also encourage the planting of more trees.
The event which was organized by Water Resources Commission in conjunction with the Blue Deal aims to sensitize and advocate climate change awareness, in collaboration between NGOs, government agencies, and other stakeholders to address pressing environmental issues.
The Coordinator for Blue Deal, Mr. Jaap Bos highlighted the urgency of the situation, attributing current weather patterns in the Northern, Upper East and North East Regions to failed measures and stressing the need for conservation efforts, including forest reserves and tree planting.
“The issues of climate change is not only affecting Africa but the world at large. It is affecting the cultivation of our food crops, the animals we rear and the environment in which we live in. It is proper for us as traditional leaders to help tackle the issue from where we are. We need to preserve the natural vegetation” Mr. Jaap Bos appealed.
The Environmental Chiefs concept began in November 2023 when the Blue Deal team engaged Traditional Authorities in the Bongo Traditional area on the need to build governance structures to combat climate change. It came up in such engagements that the traditional authority should be given the power to sanction and lead their communities for a safe environment.
The Board Chairman for White Volta Basin, Dr. Sylvester Darko on his part commended the chiefs for accepting the challenge in the fight to save the environment.
He warned of the changing cultural, economic, social, and political practices influenced by climate change and emphasized the detrimental effects on economic activities, such as the unsustainable harvesting of
Shea and Dawadawa trees for charcoal production, which adversely impacts the environment negatively.
“As we all know climate variability has come to stay with us and its effect has been felt especially on our cash trees. The dawadawa and shea trees do not fruits well as before. It’s high time we institute measures in our communities to tackle the situation” he added.
The environmental chief for Bongo, Eden Agilingo who spoke on behalf of his colleagues thanked the Paramount chief of Bongo for the confidence reposed in them and promised to work to safeguard the environment.
