By Anthony Adongo Apubeo
Bolgatanga, April 4, GNA – The Bolgatanga Circle of the GreenFaith Ghana has urged the government to as matter of urgency invest strategically in renewable energy as part of adaptive strategies to adverse impact of climate change.
In a petition to the government through Mr Donatus Atanga Akamugri, Upper East Regional Minister, the multifaith based organisation, advocated expansion of solar-powered irrigation systems to empower rural communities to become resilient and reduce overreliance on rainfed agriculture and improve agriculture production.
GreenFaith Ghana, a member of the GreenFaith Africa, is a multifaith organisation with its Africa headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya, which leverages the influence of religious leaders to advocate for actions to mitigate the impact of climate change, improve agriculture activities and enhance food security.
Prior to the presentation of the petition at the Offices of the Upper East Regional Coordinating Council in Bolgatanga, members of the Bolgatanga Circle embarked on a route march to create awareness on climate change on the theme: “Food security: an accelerator for energy transition”.
They also held placards with inscriptions “Teach renewable energy! Not fossil fuel dependence!”, love thy neighbour, fight for climate justice, “farmers’ voices matter in climate action”, “farmers feed the world, give them clean energy”, “God gave us the earth, let’s not destroy it”, “our plates, our planet, act now”, “from farm to table, let’s invest in sustainable agriculture and food security”, and “food security, climate justice, act now”, among others.
Presenting the petition, Ms Felicia Tampoka Baan, President of the Bolgatanga Circle, described climate change as long distant threat that had affected many people, particularly women, farmers and vulnerable communities.
“The Upper East Region, once known for its vibrant agricultural activities, is now struggling with erratic rainfall patterns, prolonged droughts, rising temperatures, and desertification”, she said.
“These challenges are worsened by continued reliance on polluting fossil fuels, deforestation, and unsustainable land practices, all of which impact food production, health, and livelihoods”.
Ms Baan noted that energy transition to clean and renewable energies was the way to go and urged the government to prioritise investment in renewable irrigation systems to ensure sustainable access to water for agriculture while taking actions to prevent destruction of the environment and protection of biodiversity.
“While we commend the government for appointing a Minister of State in charge of Climate Change and Sustainability, we urge bolder action to support women-led clean cooking initiatives, provide subsidies for clean cookstoves and alternative fuels to reduce indoor pollution and save women’s time.
“We also urge the government to take actions to protect farmlands and water bodies by enforcing strict laws against deforestation, and land degradation, while promoting agroecology and tree-planting initiatives.
“We also called on the government to ensure climate funds reach rural farmers by allocating resources for smallholder farmers to access climate-resilient seeds, irrigation, and sustainable farming practices,” she added.
Receiving the petition on behalf of the Regional Minister, Mr Al-Hassan Ibrahim Abdul-Kadr, the Acting Upper East Regional Coordinating Director, acknowledged the impact of climate change and underscored the need for collective action to mitigate the challenges.
While commending the petitioners for their interest in supporting the government to deal with the challenge, he promised to forward their petition to the Regional Minister for appropriate actions to be taken.
GNA
FAA/CA