10-Year Environmental Protection Programme On the Drawing Boards

Sekondi, Aug. 21, - The government is drawing up a 10-year action plan to establish a sustainable environmental protection system for the country. Addressing the 13th national council meeting of the Catholic Youth Organisation (CYO) in Sekondi today, Mr Lewis D. Atsiatome, a programme officer of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), said the plan is in response to the life-threatening damage being done to the environment. Specific policy actions in the plan cover issues like land management, forestry and wildlife, human settlement, water management, industrial pollution and mining. He said in addressing these issues environmental education is one of the major tools to be used since ignorance plays a major role in the people's negative attitude towards the environment. He said district assemblies, as custodians of local environmental resources, have formed district environmental management committees throughout the country to mobilise and educate the people on environmental issues. He told the CYO leaders that environmental destruction is a sin against God, who expects mankind to keep the earth holy.