By Emmanuella Owusu, GNA
Ashiaman, June 06, GNA – The Ashaiman Municipal Office of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), in collaboration with the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), has marked this year’s World Environment Day with a sensitisation exercise at St Augustine’s Catholic School, calling for urgent climate action.
The event, which focused on the theme “Climate Action: Inspired by Nature, For Climate, For Our Future”, highlighted the critical need for citizens to adopt sustainable environmental practices to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change.
Addressing the pupils, Ms Edith Ameyo, an Assistant Programme Officer at the EPA, Greater Accra East Region, Tema, emphasised that the climate crisis was a pressing reality that required immediate attention.
Using the hashtag #NoNegotiation, she warned that environmental degradation would inevitably result in negative consequences for humanity.
She noted that, “Whatever we are doing negatively affecting the climate will bounce back to us.”.
It’s like throwing a ball at a wall; it will definitely return to us,” Ms Ameyo said, citing the recent surge in temperatures, increased incidents of flooding, and the worsening drought situation in the Northern regions as evidence of the need for an urgent change.
Ms Ameyo urged the school authorities to facilitate the formation of “Green Clubs” to serve as platforms for pupils to engage in practical environmental projects.
She suggested initiatives such as tree planting, waste segregation, and the promotion of
alternatives to single-use plastics and styrofoam, which have been banned in the country.
She encouraged the students to extend these practices to their homes, teaching their siblings
and parents the importance of waste reduction and resource conservation, such as turning off
taps when not in use.
“We should take the environment as something we came to meet and will definitely leave behind. We need to pass it on so that the generations after us will be proud of what they inherit,” she stated.
Ms Salvata Mawulom Koku, the Ashaiman Municipal NCCE Director, urged students to adopt better waste management practices, such as proper disposal of plastics, noting that the NCCE provides these lessons to empower the youth to act as stewards of the environment
Ms Koku stressed that the environment does not negotiate, and therefore citizens must recognise the signals of misuse and work collectively to safeguard the Earth for future generations.
GNA
Edited by Laudia Anyorkor Nunoo/Linds Asante Agyei
Reporter: Emmanuella Owusu, GNA