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26.10.2020 Science

CSOs Bemoan Lack Of Protection Of Ghana’s Natural Resources In NDC, NPP Manifestoes

CSOs Bemoan Lack Of Protection Of Ghanas Natural Resources In NDC, NPP Manifestoes
26.10.2020 LISTEN

Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) under KASA Initiative Ghana are bemoaning the neglect of protection of the country’s natural resources in the manifestoes of the two major political parties ahead of the 2020 General Elections.

In the past few months, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have outdoored their manifestoes in a bid to convince registered voters to give them the backing in the December 7 polls.

Having critically assessed the content of the two manifestoes, CSOs under KASA Initiative has identified the close to nothing attention given by the leading political parties to the country’s natural resources.

Speaking to journalists at a press conference in Accra on Monday, October 26, 2020, KASA Initiative Ghana coordinator, Jonathan Gokah stressed that there is an urgent need for the government to integrate policies that will preserve the natural resources to ensure the future generation can benefit.

“The CSO sector especially the CSOs involved in environment and natural resources have realized the huge gap in our development priorities in our sustenance as a country with respect to our natural resources”, he noted.

KASA Initiative Ghana coordinator, Jonathan GokahKASA Initiative Ghana coordinator, Jonathan Gokah

Mr. Jonathan Gokah continued, “We have done analysis on the manifestoes of the two key political parties and realized there is little priority given to our natural resources [management and conservation]. That is of concern because our economy heavily depends on natural resources and we think there should be deliberate efforts at conserving or sustainably managing the sector so that our economy can grow”.

He further emphasized that the CSOs demand from the government and its agencies to prioritize natural resources and sustainable management in their plans.

On his part, Daryl Bosu who is the Deputy National Chairman of Rocha Ghana described as dreadful the attitude of the two political parties towards protecting the country’s natural resources.

“They are not doing enough at all when it comes to really securing our water bodies. If you look at ongoing galamsey activities, it is not really true that really they are making the necessary effort to protect our water bodies. They can do better because what is happening now is very abysmally and we need the political parties to do more at protecting our natural resources than they are doing now”, Daryl Bosu stressed.

Referring to a statement by NDC flagbearer John Dramani Mahama where he notes that he will free imprisoned Galamseyers when elected as President, the Deputy National Chairman of Rocha Ghana described it as unfortunately while noting that it serves to suffice he is condoning to the activities that destroy land and water bodies.

Deputy National Chairman of Rocha Ghana, Daryl BosuDeputy National Chairman of Rocha Ghana, Daryl Bosu

According to Daryl Bosu, the other promise by the former president to establish a coal power plant must be immediately abandoned and rather attention placed on renewable and green energy.

Meanwhile, the CSOs are charging the ruling government and the NDC to ensure the little mention of the country’s natural resources and things they have planned to do to help protect the resources will be done when they win the 2020 General Elections.

About KASA Initiative Ghana:
KASA Initiative Ghana is a Natural Resource and Environment (NRE) Civil Society Platform that supports advocacy in seven (7) NRE thematic sectors with a Secretariat coordinating the activities. Kasa creates platforms that facilitate the interactions among CSOs, state institutions, and development partners on NRE issues.

KASA Initiative Ghana serves as the umbrella body of hundreds of CSOs that work in the area of Environment and climate change, Oil and Gas, Fisheries, Extractive Industries – Mining, Forest and biodiversity conservation, Water and Sanitation, Agriculture and Afro-Ecology, as well as Environmental law and inter-generational security.

Eric Nana Yaw Kwafo
Eric Nana Yaw Kwafo

JournalistPage: EricNanaYawKwafo

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