Ghana to mark World Environment Day at Sakumono

Accra, June 4, GNA - The Ministry of Environment and Science on Friday reiterated its call on Ghanaians to ensure that the development of the country was in harmony with its environment.

In a statement to mark World Environment Day celebrations, which falls on Wednesday, June 5, under the theme: "Wanted! Seas and Oceans, Dead or Alive," the Ministry called for a special focus on the marine and coastal ecosystems, which were under threat from pollution and other negative practices.

"With the emergence of tourism as the second major foreign exchange earner in Ghana, there is the utmost need to protect and make our beaches clean as they remain the destination points for most tourist to the country," the statement said.

It said there was the need to place emphasis on the need to change attitudes and behaviour through responsible and safe environmental practices.

The Day would be marked with a number of activities, including coconut trees planting programme at the Sakumono Beach, near Tema and the formal launch of

"Plant for the Planet" campaign, tree planting programme by Barima Professor Azumah Nelson at the same function. The statement noted that coastal ecosystems throughout the world suffered from over exploitation, wanton destruction of coastal habitats and the emerging threat of fluctuating climate regimes, which significantly affect the socio economic development of those living directly in the world's coastal regions.

To curb such situations, Ghana was in the forefront of the Guinea Current Marine Eco-system project, which has brought together 16 neighbouring countries including Guinea Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Sao Tome and Principe, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, Congo Brazzaville, Nigeria to develop their marine and coastal resources.