The Environmental Degradation Phenomenon - Any Way Out?

A GNA Feature by Samuel Adadi Akapule
Bolgatanga, Dec. 15 GNA - Millions of hectares of Africa's landmass have been degraded as a direct result of human activities over the ages. Indeed this trend has continued to pose a big threat to the environment, especially as Africa started diversifying into more capital-intensive projects as a way of achieving an increased productive capacity as well as improving the standards of living of its people. There is no denying the fact that the effects of these actions have manifested in the degradation of the environment, which over the years, has engulfed the length and breadth of the Continent.
Mr Solomon Adongo, an official of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) in Bolgatanga put it succinctly: "Environmental degradation is one of the most alarming features of Africa's crises today. This issue is threatening Africa, and for that matter Ghana, and if not properly checked could constitute a major stumbling block to development.=94
In most parts of Ghana and Africa, the loss of forest through uncontrolled logging and tree felling is aggravated by the lack of sustained attempts at restocking.
Statistics available indicate that Cote d'Ivoire alone lost about 80 per cent of its forest cover over the past few decades. Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Cameroon and Kenya are no exception. To worsen the situation, about 700 hectares of Africa's Savannah land is cleared constantly, in addition to the yearly increase in bushfires that devastate the land. Why this phenomenon?
One cannot escape the fact that one of the areas threatened by mismanagement is Africa's biodiversity. The populations of Africa's elephants and other animal species have declined considerably. Additionally certain species of plants have disappeared from the African scene. Traditionalists and Herbalists for examples look for certain species of plants/herbs for treatment without finding them. This is due to human activities. Human beings cut these trees for domestic and other uses without replenishing them.
Besides, we cannot talk of environmental degradation without mentioning the uncontrollable use of agro-chemical and mineral exploitation from the land. A visit by this Writer to some small-scale mining sites in the Upper East Region revealed clearly that the land was being degraded at an alarming rate.
One of the areas visited was the Talensi-Nabdam District, where farmlands have been taken over by the small-scale miners who have destroyed the vegetation and thereby denying animals of essential fodder.
A vast expanse of the forest reserves in the area is also gone. In fact the situation is deplorable. The above scenario is not limited to the Talensi/Nabdam District alone, but cuts across the entire Region. Posterity would surely judge this generation if nothing is done now to reverse the trend.
The aforementioned problems could lead to droughts, floods and the creation of deserts. As if this is not enough, pollution, solid waste and noise all go to worsen the environmental degradation saga. Pollution occurs when unwanted materials are accumulated in the environment. This poses a threat to nature and human health. Formerly it was assumed that land, water and air absorbed these by-products. Obviously, however, assimilating these wastes is now a task that exceeds nature's capacity to absorb.
The clean quality of water resources is another major environmental issue that confronts Africa today. Pollution of surface water arises mainly from human induced causes. These include the seepage of agro-chemicals into underground water and the washing off of these chemical into surface water bodies through run-offs; direct discharge of sewerage and untreated industrial effluents into rivers, lakes and seas. Also, little attention is paid to the prudent management of coastal resources, which are plundered due to on-shore exploration activities; ocean vibrations discharge, and over-fishing just to mention a few. With the advent of industrialization, air pollution has assumed a large dimension.
This is very common in the cities where fumes from factory machines, noxious gas released from automobile exhausts and domestic power generators. Gas flaring and bushfires are also various sources of environmental pollution. Solid waste and heaps of refuse dumps in parts of major cities are all creating tremendous health hazards. Noise is also an environmental issue. Traffic noise is the worse offender followed by industries, large city power generators and street hawkers.
Indeed it is becoming difficult to overcome these predicaments. In spite of education and public awareness campaigns about the consequences of these phenomena, there has been no significant headway in society's search for solutions to these problems.
Therefore, there is still the need for consistent and sustainable public education. Replanting of trees should be done after felling them. Stringent measures should be put in place and effectively implemented to deal drastically with environmental offenders.
The support of nongovernmental organisations is also very crucial. They should be encouraged to join the crusade to fight and save the environment.
There is also the need for all and sundry to join the crusade by changing attitudes so as to have a clean and healthy environment. With this certain diseases associated with an unclean environment could be prevented.
As the Upper East Regional Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Madam Zenabu Wassai-King observed in her speech at a function in Bolgatanga recently: "The protection and management of the environment should be seen as a shared responsibility of everybody. Let us all put our hands on the deck and preserve the environment for the survival of future generations." 18 Dec. 06