By Kingsley Mamore
Dambai (O/R) Oct. 18, GNA – The Accelerated Rural Development Organisation (ARDO), a Non- governmental Organisation (NGO) involved in rural community development, has pledged its readiness to restore the lost ecosystem of the Guan District of the Oti Region.
Mr Pascal Benson Atiglah, the Executive Director of ARDO, who spoke with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), said this would be achieved in collaboration with the Guan District Assembly, Chiefs and people of Santrokofi, Akpafu, Lolobi and Likpe (SALL).
He said they would set the pace for the restoration and model climate friendly district, not only in the Oti Region, but in the entire country, to meet the National Determine Contributions.
Mr Atiglah in his remarks at a sensitisation engagement, which coincided with ARDO’s 20th Anniversary, said the Organisation would form and train community level anti-carbon emission Committees, that would facilitate and develop their community action plan on carbon emission reduction strategies.
It would further collaborate with Adwuma Ye Foundation Ghana and SYND, to supply 200 climate friendly energy saving stoves towards reducing the reliance on fuel wood among households.
He said they would facilitate collaboration between chainsaw operators and charcoal producers towards the reduction in cutting of tree and carbon emissions.
He said ARDO would establish and raise 20,000 indigenous and drought tolerant tree seedlings for planting around water sheds, degraded forest areas, sacred groves and agroforestry.
The Executive Director further indicated that said plans were advanced to bridge two traditional authorities along the Togo-Ghana Plateau on drivers of climate change and how to promote a resilient ecosystem.
Mr Awuvey Kenneth, a Senior Research Guard, from the Forestry Commission at the Jasikan Municipal Assembly said, the office was discharging its mandate with integrity and transparency by keeping the landscape intact and ensuring that the forest reserves were not compromised.
He stated that the Forestry Commission had put in place adequate measures to ensure that the country’s forest reserves were protected.
The Commission would continue to roll out policies to make sure the forest reserves were cordoned off from attack of deforestation and forest degradation.
Mr Amana Ernest, the Assistance Division 1 (ADO1), of the Jasikan Municipal Fire Command, sensitised the residents of possible bush and domestic fire outbreaks.
He said most of the fire outbreaks in the country were preventable if people adhered to fire safety protocols by the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS).
Mr Amana advised community members to be vigilant in their performance of their duties while they watched out for possible fire outbreaks and seek prompt support to combat such fires.
Madam Janet Emefa Obro-Adibo, the Guan District Chief Executive (DCE) assured of the Assembly’s support in the fight of climate change in the area.
She said the fight against climate change demanded a coordinated approach, with other individuals incorporating that agenda into their development goals.
She said the government was taking steps to reduce carbon emissions and had taken a decision to increase the country’s renewable energy component from one per cent to 10 per cent.
She said the government had already banned illegal mining that was degrading water bodies, vegetation and forest with some 20,000-youth employed to restore degraded lands across the country.
Obro-Adibo spoke about major policy interventions such as the programme for ‘planting for food and jobs’ ‘one District, one Factory’ among others that were implemented to boost agricultural production and industrialisation, to build Ghana’s resilience to the impact of climate change.
GNA