Accra, Feb. 03, GNA - Ghanaians have been urged to support relevant government agencies to manage wetlands and associated water bodies to achieve the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targets adopted by the United Nations.
Most wetlands in the country have been destroyed because of uncontrolled activities such as inappropriate farming practices, pollution of water bodies, unregulated excessive water withdrawals, and illegal mining.
Nana Kofi Adu-Nsiah, the Executive Director, Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission, gave the advice in a statement, issued to the Ghana News Agency in Accra, to mark World Wetlands Day, which falls on February 2.
The day marks the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands, in the Iranian city of Ramsar.
It is to raise public awareness about the importance and value of wetlands across the continent.
Wetlands are explained as the land areas that are saturated with water either seasonally or permanently such that that they take on the characteristics of distinct ecosystems.
They are also said to be the link between land and water. Examples are marsh, swamp and bog.
The theme for this year's celebration is: 'Wetlands for our Future: Sustainable Livelihoods'. It seeks to demonstrate the vital role of wetlands for the future of humanity and their relevance towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
The statement said the sustainable use of wetlands was critical to enable the society to achieve sustainable social and economic development, adapt to climate change, and improve social cohesion and economic stability.
It said the goals recognised the need for the restoration and management of water-related ecosystems.
Mr Adu-Nsiah noted that wetlands provided water in quantity and quality, food and fisheries resources, reduced the impact of flooding, removed pollutants from water, recharged groundwater, and served as important recreational and cultural sites.
He said it was estimated that the aggregate value of services generated by wetlands in the world was 4.9 trillion dollars per year and that if wetlands were lost, the cost of replacing them could be extremely expensive.
'Global estimates indicate that 64 per cent of wetlands have been lost in the last century and there is the need to draw attention to the urgent need for practical actions that will slow, stop and reverse wetland loss,' he explained.
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