Ruth Abla Adjorlolo, a retired staff of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), prefers to spend most of her time at the Keta Beach because of its serene and peaceful atmosphere, which provides a perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of city life.

Having spent many years in the fast-paced media industry, Ruth cherishes the tranquillity and calmness that the beach offers, allowing her to relax, unwind, and reconnect with nature.

Why Ruth Adjorlolo says she has fallen in love with the Beach at Keta in the Volta Region.

Keta is a coastal town in Ghana that was once an open port until the Tema Harbor began operating in 1962. Located in the Volta region of Ghana, Keta Beach is a beautiful beach known for its soft white sand and crystal-clear waters, making it ideal for sunbathing.

The beach is surrounded by historical and natural attractions, including the Keta Lagoon and Fort Prinzenstein, a former slave fort and one of the most important tourist attractions in Keta.

The Beach has beautiful white sand that is clean and well-maintained.

The long beach is perfect for long walks and watching the sunset.

Touching on serenity at the beach, Ruth Adjorlolo said the sound of the waves, the warmth of the sun on her skin, and the cool ocean breeze are a balm to her soul, soothing her mind and body.

”The sound of the waves and the sand on the beach have a calming effect and can help reduce stress,” Ruth stated, admitting she is always blown away by what nature gives when it comes to the Keta Beach.

Moreover, the beach’s scenic beauty and historic significance, with the ancient Fort Prinzenstein and the Keta Lagoon, fascinate her, making her feel connected to her heritage and culture.

At the Keta Beach, Ruth finds solace, peace, contentment, making it her preferred retreat from the stresses of everyday life.

Above all, indigenes are friendly and welcoming to tourists.

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A statement signed and issued by Mr Eric Amaning Okoree, Chief Executive Officer of NBA, explained that any entity interested in importing any GM products into the country is required to get an import permit from the NBA to be able to do so.

It said the 14 approved GM products are also not for cultivation but “they are for the purposes of food, feed or processing.”

“They have been registered to allow for importation for those purposes by individuals or groups interested in them. Any entity interested will require an import permit from the NBA to be able to import them for use in the country. Therefore, the NBA wishes to state categorically that those events or products have not been imported into the country for food, feed, or processing yet,” it explained.

The statement noted that the NBA as the government agency responsible for the regulation of GM and its related products has laid down procedures in line with the Biosafety Act, 2011 (Act 831) and with international best practices in deciding on any application brought before it.

“Authority therefore wishes to assure Ghanaians of the safety of GM product(s) that have received the NBA’s approval; notably the Bt Cowpea submitted by SARI and the fourteen (14) events submitted by Bayer West-Central Africa S.A and Syngenta South Africa which are intended for food, feed or for processing.”

The statement explained that the 14 approved products, made up of eight maize and six soybean events are not intended for cultivation.

“They are, rather, grains for direct use as food, feed or for processing as stated above. This approval was granted under Section 13 of the Biosafety Act, 2011 (Act 831) and Regulation 15 of the Biosafety (Management of Biotechnology) Regulations, 2019 (LI 2383) following the evaluation of data and information supplied by the applicant and a thorough risk assessment by the NBA Technical Advisory Committee (TAC),” the statement added.

It explained that having received the applications for registration, the Authority evaluated the events in line with available data provided by the applicants in line with the authority’s mandate and regulatory processes.

The statement expressed the concern that the call to reject any GM seeds that would be supplied was “unfortunate”, adding “The NBA recognises the need for Ghanaians to adapt to the emerging plant breeding technologies in the agricultural space for sustained crop improvement and food security.

“We wish to reiterate the fact that the improved yield and sustained food security will rather inure to the benefits of farmers rather than impoverish them as being speculated by a section of the media. Again, there is a robust biosafety system in place to ensure the safety of GMOs officially released in the country.”

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Source: GNA

Pangolins are mammals that have a body covered with horny overlapping scales, a small head with an elongated snout, a long sticky tongue for catching ants and termites, and have a tapering tail.

The “black bellied” pangolin was rescued from a woman farmer who spotted the mammal whilst she was returning home from her farm near Atronie (a cocoa growing area) and was planning to use it for local delicacy.

Dr Meyir Ziekah, the Resident Veterinary Officer and Manager of the Kumasi Zoo told Ghana News Agency (GNA) that he had a call from a colleague friend who told him about the intention of a woman who wanted to use the animal for a local delicacy.

Quickly, he mobilised some people including some pangolin researchers to visit the community to rescue the animal.

He said, upon arrival at the Zoological Gardens after the rescue operations, the animal was medically examined, and the report revealed that it was healthy and fit to be released to nature.

He noted that pangolins were the most trafficked and endangered species in Ghana and gradually they would be heading towards extinction because they were in high demand mostly for traditional medicine.

Dr Ziekah indicated that it was time to take steps to protect pangolins by creating awareness in communities about the need to prevent the extinction of that species.

Mr Prince Pascal Abro, a Researcher at the Faculty of Renewable and Natural Resources and also the Director for Pangolin GH, unscored the need to protect the habitat of pangolins.

He said people mistook pangolins as harmful hence their first instinct was to kill them but that was not the case.

According to the Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission (FC), the population of pangolins in Ghana was unknown, but the species was protected by law as well as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.

Egypt is hosting more than 45,000 registered COP27 participants representing Parties, UN and regional organizations, businesses, the scientific community, indigenous and local communities and Civil Society to jointly enhance and accelerate the implementation of climate action and follow up on collective commitments and pledges.

Ahead of COP 27 in Sharma El Sheikh, also labelled unofficially as “Implementation COP”, African Civil Society Organizations, CSOs under the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance, PACJA, have issued demands they expect to be addressed at this year’s Climate Summit meeting.

Topical among the issues are financing adaptation; loss and damage, honoring climate finance pledges, participation and inclusion matters for a successful COP27. Announcing this at a side event in Sharma El Sheikh, the African Civil Society Organization called for efforts that will advance transitions and technology transfer to be given priority at this year’s COP.

The Executive Director of the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA), Dr Mithika Mwenda said that it behoves delegates to be intentional about their call for action and also focus on how they can see projects in different countries, especially Africa materialize.

“As Africans, issues we have highlighted and placed before the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, UNFCCC Secretariat will determine the fate of the Climate Summit which will held in Egypt”.

According to the Chairperson of Africa Group of Negotiators, AGN, Mr. Ephraim Shitima, AGN is well briefed from its interaction with the CSOs and other stakeholders about the African agenda at COP.

“After several meetings in Zambia, Ethiopia and Egypt, we are certain that Africans are of one voice now to help address climate change issues from the African perspective. This underscores the urgent need recognition Africa needs as a continent with special needs and circumstances”.

Financing of adaptation and loss and damage in Africa should not be sidelined,” Shitima further noted.

Professor Seth Osafo, the Legal Advisor to the Africa Group of Negotiators noted that COP 27 comes amid growing calls for rich countries to compensate climate-vulnerable nations as it becomes harder for many people to live safely on a warming planet.

Reparations, sometimes referred to as “loss and damage” payments, are likely to dominate proceedings at COP27, with diplomats from more than 130 countries expected to push for the creation of a dedicated loss and damage finance facility.

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School Kids Bushfire Prevention Awareness Campaign (SKBFAC) has been launched at the Gorogo Primary School in the Talensi District of the Upper East Region, under the sub-theme “Bushfire Destroy Lives, You can prevent it”.

It was organized by the Forum for Natural Regeneration (FONAR), in partnership with the Ghana National Fire Service and the Talensi District Directorate of the Education.

The campaign will be rolled out in fifteen other schools across in the Talensi District, as the dry and windy harmattan is at hand.

The launch is FONAR and its stakeholders contribute to the success of the 2022, and 2023 National Anti-Bushfire Campaign with the theme: My Environment, My Life: Stop Bush-fires Now”. FONAR is a Bolgatanga-based national environmental NGO dedicated to promoting Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR), doing this through education, advocacy, community mobilization, capacity building, and fostering partnership with like-minded organizations and individuals.

Speaking to Journalists at Grogo, the Chief Executive Officer of FONAR Smaila Seidu Saaka said the sub-theme underscored that children contribute meaningfully to bushfire prevention in our communities if as a people, determined to curb the menace of bush-fires.

Mr. Saaka stated that children are the future and the problems we have about bush-fires are behavioral and the easiest way to deal with behavior is the tackle children because they are young, they have less to think about. He said, once you inculcate in them that fire is dangerous, it can be controlled. Then we will be making headway in terms of addressing the perennial bush-fires that we have in Ghana.

Mr. Saaka stated FONAR’s focus is on children and the school echo clubs being implemented in the Talensi District, target the younger children, changing their minds at a younger age, which is termed the bottom-up approach.

He added that FONAR is looking at different environmental issues that are common in the area and bushfire is one of them.

The Divisional Officer Grade 3, DOIII Mohammed Musah who schooled the pupils on the rudiment of bush-fires explained that the GNFS has the mandate of preventing and managing undesired fires.

He indicated that they do this through education, sensitization, durbars, joint program, and collaboration with their stakeholders one of which is FONAR and schools echo clubs under the Talensi District Education Directorate.

Dealing with the children, he stated are the future leaders, and giving them training at an early age means they will grow up being conscience minded.

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A release from Afrobarometer survey in 20 African countries just ahead of the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27), the country cards provide at-a-glance insights into Africans’ awareness of climate change, their experiences with deteriorating weather conditions, and their expectations of a response to the crisis.

Country cards available for 20 African countries surveyed in the ongoing Round 9 (2021/2022) of Afrobarometer, the go-to source for reliable data on what Africans are thinking.

The cards show that significant proportions of citizens are experiencing worsening droughts and floods.

While awareness of climate change varies widely across the continent, a majority of those who have heard of climate change say it is making their lives worse. Most want their governments to take immediate action to address the crisis, even if it comes at a high cost.

Few citizens are satisfied with the efforts to date of governments, business and industry, developed countries, and ordinary citizens in fighting climate change, and most demand “a lot more” from these stakeholders.

Highlights of Afrobarometer country cards on climate change:

Majorities in eight of the 20 countries report that droughts have gotten more severe over the past decade.

Countries like Madagascar in which about 86 percent of the population, Niger 72 percent and Tunisia 69 percent are the large majorities experiencing worsening drought in their countries while Basotho 73 percent of the population, Mauritians 68 percent, and Nigeriens 64 percent express the greatest concern about worsening floods.

On average across 20 countries, only half, indicating 51 percent of citizens are aware of climate change.

Awareness created is as high as 74 percent of Malawi population, 73 percent in Mauritius, and 70 percent in Gabon are aware of climate change, whereas only two in 10 Tunisian population representing 22 percent are aware of climate change.

But among the countries aware of climate change, most say it is making their lives worse.

“This perception is especially widespread in Madagascar (91%), Lesotho (88%), Mauritius (86%), Malawi (86%), and Benin (85%)”, the survey noted.

Also, majority of all the 20 countries want their government to take action now to limit climate change, even if it is costly, causes job losses, or takes a toll on the economy.

But in eight countries, 80% or more of citizens who are aware of climate change share this view.

Most citizens are not satisfied with the efforts of various stakeholders in fighting climate change and its effects, and demand “a lot more” from their governments, business, industry, and developed countries.

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It has emerged that, the Seven Seas Salt Limited, a salt mining company at Adina in Ketu South Municipality has no permit to start any operation (s) at Adafienu, Hedranawo, Denu, Agavedzi and Blekusu enclave within Keta Lagoon Complex.

With regard to the Adafienu and Agavedzi-Blekusu Expansion Project, the Company initially submitted a separate Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on 7th July 2016. The process was halted following some disruptions at the Company’s site in June, 2017 by some community members. The company however re-submitted its application for the now Adafienu and Agavedzi-Blekusu project on 10″ June, 2021. An EIS of the project was submitted on 25th November 2021.

According to the Minister of Environmental, Science, Technology and Innovation, Kwaku Afriyie, “the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is currently under review and an Environmental Permit has not been issued yet”.

The Minister made this known on the floor of Parliament on 3rd November, 2022 when responding to a Parliamentary question filed by MP for Keta Kwame Dzudzorli Gakpe on “whether proper Environmental Impact Assessment was conducted before, a license issued to Kensington Industries Limited of Indian.

The EPA issued public notification on the EIS of the proposed Adafienu and Agavedzi-Blekusu project in the following print media: Ghanaian Times of 14′ October, 2021, 18″ October, 2021, jot January, 2022 and 20″ January, 2022 © Daily Graphic of 14 October, 2021, 18″ October, 2021, 18″ January, 2022 and 20″ January, 2022.

The Minster, however, submitted to the effect that, the Adina project had satisfied the permitting requirements of the Environmental Assessment Regulations of 1999 (LI 1653) which includes the submission of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) dated 14th December, 2012 after conducting an Environmental Impact Assessment and, an Environmental Permit was first issued on 10th September 2014 which expired on 9th March, 2016. The Company submitted its Environmental Management Plan for the Adina concession on 15th April, 2016 and an Environmental Certificate was issued on 11th January, 2019. The Certificate is valid for a period of three years.

Background

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issues environmental permits and certificates after the minister responsible for mines has granted a mining license or lease to a mineral rights holder. Kensington Industries Limited (now Seven Seas Salt Limited since 2017) has two separate projects registered with the Environmental Protection Agency. The first is located in Adina with a proposed expansion to the Adafienu/Agavedzi-Blekusu areas.

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As part of measures put in place by the traditional authorities of Nabdam in collaboration with the Nabdam District Assembly as well as Queros Gualvao, the Contractor working on the Bolgatanga-Bawku Highway, the three partners agreed to erect beehives among other measures along the Wildlife Eastern Corridor stretch that serves as the pathway for the elephants aimed at preventing the annual invasion by these stone pieces.

This incident left many farmers honouring their loan obligations contracted from banks to farm during the last farming season, as a result of a number of elephant invasions experienced by the farmers during the last harvesting season in particular.

The Paramount Chief of the Sakote Traditional Area, Naba Sigri Bewong who disclosed this in an interview with the GBC URA News at his Palace in Sakote added that the move was sponsored by the Contractor as part of his Company’s Corporate Social Responsibilities to the people of the area to enable them benefit from their yearly labour.

Having agreed to handle the cost of manufacturing the beehives that will stand the test of time, Naba Sigri Bewong also stated that the Contractor suggested if the traditional authorities could form what is called Community Resource Management Committee, CRMC to be responsible in the management and maintenance of the beehive for the benefit of members of the stretch.

Members of this Community according to the Paramount Chief, should be made of the Traditional Ruler, Unit Committee Member, three Assembly Members, a Queen Mother, a member of Charcoal Burners Association, Youth Leader of the Community, a fisherman and a Fulani Herdsman.

Other measures employed aside the establishment of the beehives included the flashed lightening system in the night by some Community volunteers during harvesting as well as the tying of nylon ropes round the farms on which farmers tie white rubbers.

It made noise anytime the wind blew, hence very destructive to the Elephants, as they dislike noisy environments.

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Over the years, there has been indiscriminate felling of particularly mangrove trees on the wetlands by some residents in communities along the Anlo/Keta lagoons as wood fuel.

The development has been a major concern to organisations associated with biodiversity management and government agencies mandated to safeguard mangrove ecosystems, due to the role they play in sustaining plant and animal life.

The Keta Lagoon Ramsar Site is the largest wetland in the country covering an area of 530 square kilometers.

It cuts across the Anloga, Akatsi South and South Tongu districts, and the Keta and Ketu South Municipalities of the Volta Region. Many people in communities around the swamp depend on the mangrove resources for their livelihoods.

To check the cutting of the mangrove vegetation, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), in collaboration with the Forestry Commission and other partners, initiated a four-year project aimed at educating communities along the wetlands on the need to conserve the mangrove ecosystems.

At the celebration of this year’s International Day for the Conservation of Mangrove Ecosystems, also known as World Mangroves Day, at Anyanui, in the Anlo District of the Volta Region, there were calls for concerted efforts by all stakeholders to conserve the Anlo/Keta Lagoons’ fauna and flora.

The Operations Manager of Wetlands at the Forestry Commission, Mr. Dickson Agyeman entreated the communities to practise sustainable harvesting by planting new mangrove seedlings when they fell trees in the wetlands.

The Head of the Keta Lagoon Ramsar Site, Mr. Lawrence Tetteh Ocloo called for laws to regulate activities in mangroves swamps in the country, as that would give the Forestry Commission the authority to stop the depletion of vegetation cover at the site.

The chiefs and people of Anlo hailed the initiative.

Mangrove seedlings were planted to symbolically kick-start the project, in commemoration of the World Mangroves Day.