Enforce existing laws and promulgation new ones - Geoscientists advocate

The Ghana Institution of Geoscientists (GhIG) in collaboration with the Department of Earth Science (DoES), University of Ghana, Legon and the Center for Geoscience Studies (CfGS), have launched the International Earth Science Week, 2019, at the University of Ghana, Legon in Accra.

The week-long celebration was launched under the theme “Geoscience is for Everyone” to encourage persons of all backgrounds to be aware of geosciences and how its knowledge and application affects the various aspects of our daily life.

The awareness is to help protect the earth and its sustainability. Therefore, the need to enforce existing laws and the promulgation of new ones cannot be over-emphasized especially in this era of global warming and environmental degradation.

The GhIG is advocating for the above so that every activity that has direct impact on the earth, both surface and subsurface are guided by “best practice,” i.e. under the supervision of a geoscientist by law before any statutory permits are issued.

Speaking at the launch, the General Secretary of the Ghana Institution of Geoscientists, Crisler Akwei Ankrah explained the need to show the resolve to protect public interest, our natural resources and our environment, this has become more apparent and the time to act is now.

The ability of the future generations to determine their own fate must not be jeopardized by acts of omissions and commissions which are negatively impacting on the earth in general and our environment in particular.

He lamented that “we have strict enforcement of the various laws in respect of permitting regimes for the mineral and oil/gas sectors but that cannot be said with civil works, building construction, water borehole drilling and sand winning. We have allowed people to do their own thing (drilling without scientific investigation, surface sand wining without environmental considerations) without following the due process and best practices.

Processes are ongoing to reach out to the appropriate governmental agencies, especially the legislature to come strongly on the discourse and help promulgate new acts and strengthen the enforcement of the existing ones.

This will ensure that any activity that has a direct impact on the earth follows prescribed laws and are supervised by a competent person, a geoscience professional, who can be held accountable for any infraction that comes to bare as a result of the activity.

He further stated that the recent flooding and its consequences and loss of valuable resources and sometimes lives are caused by improper siting of structures on drainage courses without proper understanding of the ramifications thereafter; this geoscience awareness seeks to address these things so that everyone that deals with the earth will understand the fundamentals of our actions and can take the necessary steps to mitigate it.

Building or carrying out various construction types on drainage lines have far-reaching consequences.

Mr. Ankrah concluded by saying that the activities of borehole drilling companies, mining activity of all forms and quarrying should be streamlined or requisite laws enforced to make sure they are carried out using “best practices”, and this calls for these activities to be supervised by a competent geoscientist and the Ghana Institution of Geoscientists is ready to partner all statutory bodies including the District Assemblies to make sure our earth, and environment, in particular, is protected.

About Earth Science Week
Since October 1998, the American Geosciences Institute has organized this national and international event to help the public gain a better understanding and appreciation for the Earth sciences and to encourage stewardship of the Earth. This year's Earth Science Week will be held from October 13 - 19, 2019 and will celebrate the theme "Geoscience Is for Everyone." The coming year's event will emphasize both the inclusive potential and the importance of the geosciences in the lives of all people.

People of all ages are invited, during Earth Science Week 2019, to join in this creative endeavour through our available learning resources and activities. The theme is meant to encourage individuals of all backgrounds, ages, and abilities to engage with the geosciences, whether that is as a geoscience professional, a hobbyist, or through civic engagement.

Reaching over 50 million people annually, AGI leads Earth Science Week in cooperation with its sponsors and the geoscience community as a service to the public. Each October, community groups, educators, and interested citizens organize celebratory events. Earth Science Week offers opportunities to discover the Earth sciences and engage in responsible stewardship of the Earth.