WHRO marks World Ocean Day with clean-up exercise

Wildlife and Human Resources Organisation (WHRO), an environmental NGO dedicated to building capacity for natural resource protection and conservation, has embarked on a cleanup exercise at Ningo-Prampram in the Greater Accra Region.

The maiden edition of the exercise was organized by the NGO to commemorate World Ocean Day, which is held on June 8 every year to raise awareness of the ocean's vital importance in sustaining a healthy planet.

The two-day exercise began with a public awareness campaign at the Prampram Vocational and Technical School, where students were educated on the effects of poor sanitation, especially the impact of plastic pollution in the seas, as well as the importance of the ocean in conserving wildlife.

In addition to WHRO staff and students from the University of Ghana, other organizations like the Coastal Association of Neighbourhood, ECOZOIL, and the Prampram District Assembly joined community members to clean the area's beaches.

Dr. Andrews Agyekumhene, Executive Director of the Wildlife and Human Resources Organisation (WHRO), said in an interview that the sea provides numerous benefits that have aided the economic development of countries such as Ghana.

He stated that, apart from serving as a tool for economic development, the ocean also regulates the climate and provides jobs for the majority of fisherfolk whose livelihoods largely depend on it.

"We get fish, oil, and gas from the ocean, so conserving its resources is very important, especially at a time when all forms of plastic materials are dumped into the sea. Such negative practices would endanger the aquatic plants and animals," Dr. Agyekumhene explained.

As an environmental and natural resources expert, Dr. Agyekumhene urged community members to promote and embark on practices that protect and conserve the country's natural resources for a healthy environment, benefiting present and future generations.

At the end of the exercise, community members thanked the organisation for leading the campaign to clean their communities and promised to adhere to the advice to help sustain the environment.