By Emelia B. Addae
Somanya (E/R), Feb. 13, GNA – The University of Environment and Sustainable Development (UESD), Somanya, in the Eastern Region, held its third commencement lecture over the weekend to kick off the 2022/2023 academic year.
The commencement lecture is the culmination of collaborative efforts by the authorities when the University began full-fledged operations in 2020.
Speaking at this year’s lecture, “Securing the Environment: Our Water, Our Future,” Professor Eric Nyarko-Sampson, Vice Chancellor of the UESD, emphasized the importance of water as an indispensable commodity in the lives of all living things.
He indicated that water supported human existence and nurtured the ecosystem and agriculture, and that water bodies and aquatic resources were a financial investment in Ghana’s future.
“It then behoves us, Ghanaians, to secure the future of our water resources, as well as preserving the environment for future generations,” he said.
However, he noted that, “To safeguard water resources and available biodiversity requires a multi- faceted approach that involves government, industries, academic institutions and communities.”
He said these stakeholders must work together with innovative technologies and sustainable environmentally friendly practices.
Prof. Nyarko-Sampson noted that when these pragmatic measures were implemented, they would help the United Nations achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) established in 2015.
Goal six of the SDGs requires countries to ensure the availability and long-term management of water and sanitation for all, while Goal 14 calls for the conservation and sustainable use of oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable development.
In this vein, the Vice Chancellor said the University was opening discussions on some aspects of the environment that it deemed relevant for experts opinions and views.
“In so doing the university attempts to work towards its mandate of securing the environment,” he added.
Professor Jonathan N. Aryertey, Chairman of the Governing Council, UESD, said water bodies, rivers, lakes and groundwater played a critical role in regulating the climate and providing livelihoods to millions of people around the world.
However, he said, in recent years “we have seen a significant decline in the quality and quantity of our water resources due to a range of environmental and human-made factors such as pollution, climate change, over-extraction and mismanagement.”
He advised individuals who contributed to such illegal and wrongful practices to desist from it to improve safe water for consumption.
Madam Gifty Twum – Ampofo, Deputy Minister in charge of Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET), who was the guest of honour, urged parents to enroll their children who want to offer Science in Senior High Schools (SHS) at the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) schools.
She explained that facilities to enhance science education in the 10 new STEM schools established were far advanced than the existing SHS offering science programmes.
She explained that the existing schools had a maximum of four or six laboratories, while each of the STEM schools had a maximum of 12 laboratories because they were purposely built as science SHS.
She expressed optimism that by going into TVET, Ghanaians would be self-reliant and productive in their normal livelihood activities.
GNA