Ministries seek cabinets' approval for policy to contain environmental pollution

The Ministries of Water Resources, Works and Housing and Environment, Science and Technology are jointly seeking Cabinet approval for a riparian buffer zone policy for managing freshwater bodies in Ghana.

The policy will harmonise all traditional and existing public institutional standards on buffers bordering water bodies or river systems.

It will also focus on measures that would guide the coordinated creation of vegetative buffers for the preservation and functioning of the country’s vital ecosystems.

Ms Sherry Ayittey, Minister of Environment, Science and Technology made this known on Tuesday on the floor of Parliament, when answering a question posed by Offinso North Member of Parliament, Augustine Collins Ntim, on what interventions the ministry was taking to curb environmental pollution.

Parliament reconvened for the First Sitting of the Second Meeting of Government Business, with Speaker Justice Joyce Bamford Addo urging members to give the leadership of the house the needed cooperation.

Ms Ayittey explained that the buffer zones improve water quality and perk up the habitat for aquatic organisms, providing food, nesting cover and shelter for wildlife.

She said buffer zones also hold valuable socio-economic relevance because it could create jobs in the planting and maintenance of economic trees, with the resultant valuable timers and incomes from non-timber forest products.

The Minister said buffer zones would also promote indigenous multi-species of plants traditionally harvested for medicine and material for building as well as support community water supply systems and minimise fish pollutions for many fishing communities.

The policy on buffer zones she said would curb the development of infrastructure on water ways.**