By Comfort Sena Fetrie-Akagbor
Tamale, March 14, GNA – The Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMet) has launched Green Climate Clubs at Senior High Schools (SHS) in the Northern Region to spread knowledge about climate change, adaptation, and mitigation.
The move, in collaboration with the Ministry of Communication and Digitalisation, and supported by the Ghana Agricultural Sector Investment Programme (GASIP), seeks to give SHS students a deeper knowledge and understanding on climate sustainability and environmental development.
It is also to nurture climate smart generation to be empowered to act on issues related to climate change, support in attaining the Sustainable Development Goals-13 and the nation’s socio-economic development agenda.
Mr Eric Asuman, Acting Director-General of GMet, speaking during the launch, and a symposium in Tamale, said the Green Climate Clubs at SHSs was a strategy to contribute to address issues of climate change in the country.
Climate change has negatively affected national economies, lives and livelihoods, especially those in vulnerable conditions in the country.
Mr Asuman said the weather was now more extreme, the ocean warmer and acidic, sea levels rising, and glaciers and ice melting.
He said, “Addressing these issues, we have become aware that environment and climate change education is lacking, especially among the youth. However, there is opportunity to create awareness among students and young people through the introduction of Climate Clubs at SHSs.”
He said the country needed urgent action to slash emissions and to ensure that future generations could both survive and thrive on the planet.
Miss Ama Pomaa Boateng, Deputy Minister of Communication and Digitalisation, pledged the government’s continued support to re-equip GMet to vigorously pursue its mandate to address, among other issues, climate change.
She added that the Ministry would also support its partners to raise environmentally conscious leaders to focus on addressing the impact of climate change and help devise ways to mitigate it, guide students to design and establish other climate action related activities such as school gardens, tree planting,
awareness creation, and also to assist the youth to develop problem solving and entrepreneurial skills set required to mitigate the brunt of climate change.
Alhaji Shani Alhassan Saibu, the Northern Regional Minister, called on the citizenry to support efforts to lessen the impact of climate change and increase the ability to fight against its negative impact in the country.
Alhaji Saibu urged teachers, students, and heads of schools to own the Green Climate Clubs and keep them functional as well as lead vigorously the advocacy for climate action in the communities.
Dr Edmund Kyei Akoto-Danso, Climate Change Adaptation Manager at GASIP, who read a speech on behalf of Mr Klutse Kudomor, National Programme Coordinator of GASIP, said GASIP would continue to support government to improve the climate change strategies to reduce the negative impact in the country.
GNA