Deputy Lands Minister inaugurates five-member Sakumono Ramsar Committee

Benito Owusu-Bio with members of the committee during the inspection

A five-member Sakumono Ramsar Committee has been inaugurated by the Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources Hon. Benito Owusu-Bio to address the encroachment on the Sakumono wetlands and other developments that threaten the survival of the Sakumono Ramsar Site.

The Committee comprised of members of the Lands Commission and the Ministry.

Delivering the inaugural address, Hon. Benito Owusu-Bio stated that the Ramsar Site was noted for supporting large of seashore birds of up to 32,500 belonging to 66 species and this according to the Deputy Minister, makes the site the third most important seashore bird site on the Coast.

He added that, due to years of siltation of the Ramsar Site, the wetlands is in danger of losing its ecosystem.

The minister also noted that the site has been besieged by illegal developments which has led to a massive encroachment.

“The Ministry has received several petitions from individual and some Civil Society Groups on the current threat to the Ramsar Site and the need for urgent intervention from Government against further encroachment of the remaining wetland,”he said.

He noted that several interventions have been made in the past to reverse the trend of encroachment and degradation but no significant results have been achieved.

“ The situation is quite alarming as the population of migratory birds that are recorded annually has dwindled over the years and the area is gradually losing its significant as a wetland of international recognition”. He added.

In view of this, the Ministry is inaugurating the Committee today to among other things tasked the members to;

*Identify detailed reasons why the Sakumono Ramsar Site is degraded and loosing its ecological functions,

* Establish the extent of degradation and encroachment on the area

* Identify the major groups and individuals involved in encroaching on the area and who is responsible for allocating land for sale.

The Committee is expected to submit its report to the Minister within 4 weeks from today.