Atesikrom (B/A), Feb. 26, GNA - Mr. Yaw Joseph Aidoo, President of the Environmentally Concerned Citizens Association of Ghana, has expressed concern about the level of degradation of the environment in Brong-Ahafo Region.
He said the government's plantation development programme that sought to improve the country's forest situation was launched at Ayigbe in Wenchi District of the region in 2001 by President John Agyekum Kufuor.
Mr. Aidoo expressed the concern in an interaction with the chiefs and people of Atesikrom near Dormaa Ahenkro where bushfire gutted 14 houses and destroyed personal effects last week. He drew a parallel between the government's intentions under the plantation development programme and the spate of bushfires in parts of the region this year and said the situation did not augur well for the achievement of any positive results.
Mr Aidoo commended Squadron Leader Ben Anane Asamoah (rtd), Dormaa District Chief Executive and Dormaa District office of National Disaster Management Organisation for providing relief items for the disaster victims and urged the people to guard against the menace by creating fire-belts around the town.
He appealed to the chiefs, elders, assembly members, unit committee members, religious groups and farmers in the area to collaborate in the campaign against bushfires.
Baffour Atosi Ababio, Chief of Atesikrom, assured the association that the town would use the disaster as its reference point in the campaign against bushfires. He said ever since the big fires in 1983, the Atesikrom community had never relented in guarding against the disaster until last week's fire outbreak when almost all the residents had left for their farms. 26 Feb 08
