EPA calls for partnership on three key Ghana projects

Mrs Zenabu Wasai-King, Upper East Regional Director of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has called on Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) and Ghana Social Opportunities Project (GSOP), to forge partnership with Ghana Environmental Management Project (GEMP).

Mrs Wasai-King, who made the call in an interview with Ghana News Agency in Bolgatanga, said such partnership would enable SADA and GSOP to purchase tree seedlings being produced by GEMP for their project areas.

She said the three organisations have similar visions of empowering deprived persons in Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions.

GEMP, which is a five-year project being funded by governments of Ghana and Canada is helping to  address land degradation issues and reverse the trend of desertification and reduce poverty in the north.

GEMP has so far established six nurseries at Sirigu, Balungo, Bongo, Zebila and Senensi in the Region.

Mrs Wasai-King said under the project’s Livelihood Empowerment component many people particularly women groups have been supported in the areas of guinea fowl rearing, beekeeping, sheanut processing and mango plantations among other interventions.

She said at Tilli in Bawku West Municipality, large scale guinea fowl rearing had become a test case study in Northern and Upper West Regions.

Mrs Wasai-King noted that through awareness creation on the environment by GEMP, many people are shying away from environmental degradation activities such as bush burning and indiscriminate felling of trees for charcoal burning.

Bolgatanga Senior High School, Navrongo Senior High School and Bolgatanga Technical School and Tempane Senior High School are some of the beneficiaries of GEMP.

She called on the chiefs and people of the beneficiary communities and other stakeholders to support the implementation of GEMP in order to improve soil fertility, increase agricultural productivity and reduce poverty in Northern Ghana.

“Particularly the District Assemblies should be seen to be playing the leading role in supporting GEMP since they stand to benefit a lot when the project ends.

“The Assemblies should also be thinking of how to sustain the project when the donors wean out,” she said.

Mrs Wasai-King said GH¢116,000 was approved in 2012 for 14 proposed projects of GEMP in the Region.

Source: GNA