Government to launch an initiative to protect the environment

Accra, March 27, GNA - Government is soon to launch a project dubbed: Arbor Day, which will promote the planting of tree nationwide to step up the efforts to properly manage the environment. Ms Sherry Ayittey, Minister of Environment, Science and Technology, who announced this on Saturday, the project, which would be in partnership with relevant agencies would roll out other measures to effectively fight the waste and sanitation problems in the country.

Speaking in a speech read for her at the 44th Student Representative Council Week Celebration of Trinity Theological Seminary in Accra, Ms Ayittey stressed the need to for individuals and corporate bodies to facilitate the sensitization and education efforts on issues of climate change, its dynamics and implications for our own survival. The SRC Week is also meant to raise funds to furnish the Council's three-year old building as well as to procure an ultra modern bus to address the transportation needs of the Seminary. The theme for the celebration is "The Minister as a Steward of the Environment".

Dwelling more on climate change, Ms Ayittey said: "There is clear evidence that the coastal zone, agricultural, water resources, human health, poverty and women's livelihoods, are affected by climate and climate variability".

She assured the Seminary of government's support to protect and improve the environment to ensure that God's creations were preserved for posterity. Mr Fred Bosompem Boahene, SRC Chairman, said the theme was very timely and appropriate since it was important to talk about the challenges facing the environment and the need to find appropriate measures to deal with them. He said the Seminary would help to protect and improve the environment by sensitizing and educating people on issues of environmental problems through the pulpit.

"We are of the view that if the minister of the gospel takes upon himself and continues to preach the gospel of safe environment, our people will eventually buy the idea," he explained. Mr Boahene said the students were ready and poised for action to salvage the world from sin and calamity and pledged to project environmental issues seriously wherever they would be posted after training. He, therefore, called on institutions such as the Environmental Protection Agency, the Town and Country Planning Department and Metropolitan authorities to apply appropriate sanctions to people, who flout regulations regarding the use of the environment.

Reverend Dr Cyril Fayose, President of the Seminary advised the students to reflect more on the theme and the various lectures they had on environmental protection.

He said they should see themselves as ambassadors of the environment, a responsibility God have entrusted into their hands. 27 March. 10