Local Chiefs asked to join fight against climate change

Chiefs have been asked to give strong backing to the implementation of government’s interventions, designed to tackle the devastating impact of climate change.

Mr. Mahama Ayariga, the Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovations, warned that the nation could face possible food insecurity, if it ignored to act.

He made the call in a speech read for him at a day’s workshop to sensitize the Ashanti Regional House of Chiefs on the “Paris Climate Change Agreement”, which has been ratified by Ghana.

It was also to seek the views of the traditional rulers on how best to implement the “Agreement” alongside Ghana’s Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (GH-INDC) – a coordinated domestic policy actions to safeguard development gains from impacts of climate change and build a climate resilient economy.

Dubbed, “Ashanti Regional Road Show on GH-INDC”, the workshop was organized by the Ministry with support from the United Nation Development Programme (UNDP).

Mr. Ayariga hinted that 20 mitigation and 11 adaptation programmes in seven priority economic sectors would be implemented between 2020 and 2030.

“These 31 programme of actions will drive the strategic focus of a 10-year post 2020 enhanced climate action plan.”

The expectation was that they would lead to low carbon climate resilience through effective adaptation and greenhouse gas emission reduction.

He underlined the government’s determination to fight climate change and said this would be done through innovative ways.

Mr. John Alexander Ackon, the Regional Minister, said climate change had brought with it developmental challenges including poverty, growth of informal settlements, rapid urbanization and land depletion.

He said it was important all stakeholders united their effort to help reduce the effects of the phenomenon on the national economy.

Source: GNA