Ghana celebrates World Environment Day tomorrow

Accra, June 10, GNA - Ghana's celebration of the 2010 World Environment Day, would take place tomorrow Friday June 11, at Osino, in the Fanteakwa District of the Eastern Region.

The day, celebrated annually on June 5, was been rescheduled to June 11, by the Government of Ghana, because it fell on a weekend and also to get all stakeholders involved.

The national theme: "Many Species, One Ghana, One Future" and would be chaired by the Okyenhene, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panyin.

Dr Edward Kofi Omane Boamah, Deputy Minister of Environment Science and Technology, speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency on Thursday in Accra said, WED commemorated on 5 June every year since 1972, was one of the principal vehicles through which the UN stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and encourages political attention and action. "Through WED, we are able to give a human face to environmental issues and enable people to realize not only their responsibility, but also their power to become agents for change in support of sustainable and equitable development," he said.

Dr Boamah explained that WED was a day for advocating partnerships among all stakeholders or perhaps, even more correctly, among all species living on this one planet and sharing a common future. He noted that this year's celebration seeks to educates people from all walks of life especially school children and farmers on the need to protect the nations river bodies.

"The celebration is part of governments' efforts to curb the high spate of the rampant destruction of the nation's water bodies through activities including farming and mining," he said. As part of activities to mark the day there would activities including tree planting, community clean-ups, photo competition on biodiversity, bird-watching trips and exhibition.

Other activities lined up are panel discussion on biodiversity issues, durbar of chiefs, Ministers of states, school children and public officials. The world's theme, "Many Species, One Planet, One Future", focused on the importance of the globe's wealth of species and ecosystems to humanity as well as supports this year's United Nation International Year of Biodiversity.