Damongo March To Demand Immediate Climate Change Action

Environmental Clubs in schools in the Savannah Region has presented two separate petitions to the overlord of the Gonjaland traditional area, Yagbonwura Boresah Tuntumba, and the Savannah Regional Coordinating council to demand actions to mitigate Climate Change as part of the Global Strike for climate strike.

'The Global Climate Strike dubbed; “Fridays for Future” float had students in some schools in the region March through the principal streets in the Savannah Regional capital of Damongo starting from the Damongo Nurses Training College entrance, through to the lorry park where the message of ending climate change action immediately was delivered to the drivers, passengers and the community members was presented by the youth.

The team then connected to the Jakpa Palace where a petition was read and presented to the overlord of the Gonjaland traditional area, Yagbonwura Tuntumba Boresa Sulemana I by Master Awal Seidu,a student of Ndewura Jakpa Technical Senior High School on behalf of the team.

Receiving the petition, the overlord thanked the students and other environmental activists present and promised to distribute copies of the petition to all the paramouncies within the Gonja Kingdom for immediate action to be taken to improve the environment within Gonjaland and beyond.

The team, from the Jakpa Palace, moved to the Savannah Regional Coordinating Council (SRCC) where another petition was read and presented to the Savannah Regional Minister by Miss Kabutey Hagar,a student from St Anne's Girls Senior High School in Damongo,

calling on authorities to take actions to address climate change and its related impact.

Receiving the petition on behalf of the minister, the Deputy Regional Coordinating Director, Alhaji Abu Forgor, thanked and assured the public that the Savannah Regional Coordinating Council will work closely with the district assemblies in the region to help improve the issues of climate and the environment as a whole.

Over 300 strikers from School environmental clubs in Damongo Agric College, Ndewura Jakpa Senior High Technical School, St. Annes Girls Senior High School and Damongo Girls Model Junior High School including other strikers joining from the Departments and Institutions such as A Rocha Ghana, Forestry Commission-Wildlife Division (Mole National Park), The Ghana National Fire Service, District Environmental Health, Environmental Protection Agency, World Vision, Community Development as well as environmental activists and resource user groups.

Among the demands contained in the petitions presented to both the Yagbonwura and the Savannah Regional Minister included the following:

1. All the District Assemblies in Savannah Region are informed to take Proactive measures to halt ongoing illegal logging and unsustainable charcoal production.

2. Issues of climate change and biodiversity conservation, in general, are fully mainstreamed in the various districts medium-term development plan with clear cut action plans and adequate budget allocations.

3. Pollution of the environment with plastic waste be minimized or stopped if possible.

4. Water bodies are adequately protected. We recommend growing trees around these water bodies and discouraging people from farming at the banks of these water bodies.

5. The voices of women in decision making on natural resources management and governance are recognized -Involving women in decision making will yield more positive results since they are more result-oriented and have the knowledge that could be tapped to practically solve these climate challenges.

Zion Abdul-Rauf
Nkilgi 103.7 FM
Damongo