PROJECT TO ADDRESS MARINE POLLUTION TAKES OFF… Courtesy Zoomlion, government collaboration

Ghana on Friday took a giant step towards controlling its marine pollution, by launching an ambitious project that seeks to clean and protect its beaches along the coastal areas of the country.

The project code-named, “Eco Brigade”, is a collaborative effort between the Government of Ghana and Zoil Ghana Limited, a subsidiary of ZoomLion Ghana Limited, a leading waste management company.

The project was launched over the weekend, by the Minister of Environment, Science and Technology, Madam Sherry Ayittey, at Esiama in the Western corridors of the country.

Instructively, our West African state has for sometime now been struggling on its feet in the fight against environmental pollution.

It was, until recently, bereft with numerous garbage problems in the cities, as a result of lack of access to landfill sites, thanks to ZoomLion Ghana Limited, a company dedicated to solving the country's woes by managing its waste.

Threat to oil and gas industry
Marine pollution has also been of major concern to the country, especially fishermen and people along the coasts.

Most waterbodies are seriously being polluted with all manner of substances from all corners of the country, as a result of indiscriminate dumping of refuse and other objects into rivers and streams which ends up in the sea.

Fishermen along the coastal communities have often complained of their nets picking up all kinds of objects, as they undertake their fishing activities.

Ghana's emerging oil and gas industry also comes with its attendant pollution and potential threat to the environment, in terms of oil spillage.

Its coastal, marine and inland environment contains many species, habitats, and other resources that could be severely affected by oil pollution, the most sensitive areas being that of the four coastal regions, namely the Western, Central, Volta and Greater Accra regions, where oil can stand on the foreshore.

In many oil producing countries, food production, tourism and the health of the people have been greatly underpinned by oil spillages, and other forms of environmental pollution associated with the production of crude oil.

Sherry Ayittey, Minister of Environment, Science and Technology, told The Chronicle that the project received government support, because of the impending climatic changes which is affecting rainfall patterns globally.

“Globally, we talk of the grave consequences of climate change affecting rainfall patterns in both its intensity and distribution, rising sea levels and its effects on fishing communities, coastal erosion, and the negative consequences on coastal communities. Ghana, our beloved country, is experiencing these unfavourable weather and climate conditions. Our emerging oil and gas industry presents an additional challenge,” she noted.

She entreated the youth, who would be engaged under the project, to take advantage of the opportunity given them, and work with dedication, passion and unwavering commitment, to enable the country reap positive results from the established project.

Marine pollution control
The country does not have any legal instrument for its maritime operations. This means, any possible oil spillage along its coasts, can hardly be treated at the law courts.

In September last year, the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) announced its intention to formulate a Maritime Pollution Bill that would address the numerous problems confronting the marine industry.

It was recently updated to include laws relating to new developments such as the emerging oil and gas industry, including the new conventions adopted by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).

The Bill is still at the cabinet level, and would soon be sent to Parliament for deliberation.

When passed into an Act, it would give the GMA the needed legal power to deal effectively with the problems that may arise in the implementation of the oil and gas projects in the country.

In addition to the Bill, draft legislation on inland waterways, based on the IMO, has also been forwarded to Cabinet for study, and would also be soon sent to Parliament for deliberation.

The draft legislation aims to create a regulatory framework for enforcement of safety measures on the inland waterways of the country.

Ghana will in 2011 start producing oil in commercial quantities.

Ensuring safety along the coast
But, as a first step towards ensuring safety along the coasts, the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Kobby Acheampong, speaking to The Chronicle, warned against sand-winning activities along the coast.

“For this initiative to achieve its intended purpose, sand-winning activities along the coast must cease,” he intoned, and therefore entreated the District Assemblies along the coastal areas to ensure that sand-winning along the beaches comes to an end.

Dr. Joe Oteng-Adjei, Minister of Energy, tasked Ghanaians to change their attitudes towards the environment, without which our lives would be in danger.

“Our quest to achieve higher levels of development, and better living standards would amount to nothing, if we do not change our attitudes towards the environment, and take necessary steps to address already existing environment-related problems,” he said.

He added, “Various forms of pollution that go on at our beaches, and the fast rate at which we are losing the beach vegetation, give cause for serious concern. With the imminent oil exploration activities at some major coastal points in this part of the country, we need not to be told of the urgent need to brace ourselves up for tougher environmental challenges in the days ahead.”

To signify the importance of the project, a coconut tree-planting exercise was carried out along the coast of Esiama, by the Chiefs and Ministers who attended the function.

The Eco Brigade project
Committed to ensure the safety of its people along the coastal communities of the country, in the absence of a Maritime Pollution Act, the government of Ghana is leaving no stone unturned in solving the plight of the people.

This ambitious project is a re-birth of Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah's 'Workers Brigade,' that seeks to provide 10,000 employment opportunities for the youth in the aforementioned regions.

Among the mandate of those who would be recruited for the project, will be to see to the cleaning of the beaches on a daily basis, as well as the planting coconut trees and mangroves.

Benefits
Apart from the employment opportunities that would be created, the project will also help to raise awareness of the importance of providing for a clean environment, and ensuring appropriate technology transfer to Ghana for the protection of its environmental heritage.

It will also provide the manpower needs of the oil industry for a well organised, trained and equipped oil spill response organisation within the ports and coastal areas of the country.

The General Manager of Zoil Ghana Limited, Mr. Opoku Manu, expressed his outfit's profound gratitude to the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology, and its partnering banks, for their role played in making the project a success.

He said his outfit, in the discharge of its mandate, would provide training and develop the skills of the youth who will be recruited, to enhance the productivity of their communities.

World Bank's response
The World Bank, in lauding the initiative undertaken by the Government of Ghana and Zoil Ghana Limited, called for good policies which it believes will be key towards the sustainability of the project.

“Good policies will be key. Poor decisions in one sector can close down potential in other sectors. Social unhappiness with natural resources extraction will scare off investments, and pollution would make tourism unattractive. Again, poor urban planning will increase costs and reduce competitiveness,” noted Ishac Diwan, Country Director of the World Bank, Ghana.