Intensify fight against desertification - Dean

Bolgatanga (Upper Wast), 19th May ?99 ?

Professor Z.K. Batse, Dean of the Faculty of Integrated Development Studies at the University for Development Studies (USD) has called for the intensification of the fight against desertification in the country.

He said there is an urgent need for a collaborative action by all stakeholders, particularly the government, donor agencies and the people, to ensure that programmes drawn up for the environment are effectively implemented.

Professor Batse was speaking at the opening of a workshop in Bolgatanga on the draft national report for the United Nations Conference to Combat Desertification (CCD).

The workshop was organised by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and sponsored by the Interstate Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel, Africa Region Co-ordination Unit of the CCD secretariat.

Professor Batse regretted the lack of goodwill by stakeholders to implement most laudable programmes in the country.

Mr S.O. Saaka, Deputy Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in-charge of the Upper East region, warned that the soils in the Northern, Upper East and Upper West regions are being seriously threatened by erosion and other forms of environmental degradation.

He called on the participants, drawn from governmental departments and agencies, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), community-based organisations (CBO) and the media, to contribute to improve upon the draft report.

It is estimated that about 35 per cent of Ghana's 238,537 square kilometre landmass are under threat of desertification.

On the global level, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) estimates that desertification costs the world 42 billion dollars a year and Africa alone loses some nine billion dollars a year.