Improved public transport helps the environment – NGO

An improved public transport system, would get many commuters parking their private vehicles, which would immensely reduce vehicular traffic.

This would in turn reduce smoke emissions from car exhaust pipes and in the long run, help reduce environmental pollution.

Mrs.Nefisatu Yussif, programme officer on advocacy for Abantu for Development, an NGO, made this observation at a day’s programme on the need to protect the environment, held in Tema on Tuesday.

Themed, “Strengthening women’s voices on climate change: Search for solutions”, the programme was organised by the Abibimman Foundation, in collaboration with the Tema Department of Community Development.

“If a single bus could carry 20 passengers who would have otherwise driven their personal cars that would result in less number of vehicles on the road and in effect less smoke emissions”, Mrs. Yussif said.

She suggested that women should be involved in high level decision-making processes on environmental degradation, because women were typically engaged in activities such as the chopping of firewood for commercial food production, adding that these activities affect the environment.

Mr Yussif Nbdul-Mumin, Partnership and Advocacy Director of the United Force for Development (UFD), said when fire used for cooking produced much smoke, it threatened human health.

He stated that modified coal ports that minimized smoke had to be used for cooking, and urged the public to reduce the rate of cutting down trees for the sustenance of the environment.

Source: GNA