By Patrick Ofoe Nudzi
Accra, Oct. 8, GNA- Mrs Esther Cobber, Chief Executive Officer, Stratcom Africa, has advocated a behaviour change communication approach within communities affected by illegal mining activities.
She said the participation of natives in illegal activities within communities affected by the menace was due to a culmination of behaviour and culture developed over these years.
Mrs Cobbah was speaking at the closing ceremony of the 12th edition of the Ghana Flower and Garden ceremony, which was held at the Efua Sutherland Park.
This year’s edition was on the theme: “Green the Nation, Feed the Nation, Grow the Nation, “underscoring the importance of innovation in sustainability and focusing on how to transform practices into gardening.
The opening ceremony featured two key events, which included a corporate agreement between Ghana Garden and Flower Movement and its Nigerian counterpart.
The late Efua Sutherland was also celebrated for her roles in environmental stewardship and nurturing young minds.
Mrs Cobbah noted that behaviour change communication must be structured in a way to engage the relevant stakeholders whose actions and inactions contributed to the formation of the behaviours of engaging in illegal mining activities.
“When an individual is behaving in a certain way, we always feel that it is just that individual behaviour. Behaviour is not just an event; it is the culmination of different factors. It is based on knowledge, attitudes, and support from key stakeholders within a community that makes people do certain things.
“Now we have an illegal mining culture that has been co-created by the communities where this activity has been undertaken. When people are participating in illegal mining and the behaviour is widely accepted, then it is co-created. So a behaviour communication approach would require an engagement with the individual and the community alike whose actions contribute to developing the attitude of engaging in illegal mining, “she said.
Mrs Cobbah emphasised that the behaviour change communication approach must be complemented with the legal framework on illegal mining activities.
The 12th edition of the Ghana Flower and Garden Show featured about 30 vendors, including Lynns Garden, Evergreene Palms, Opoku & Opoku Ltd., KY Gardens and Landscaping, and many others.
These vendors showcased a variety of plants, flowers, and gardening accessories, promoting the beauty and benefits of horticulture and floriculture in Ghana
GNA