National Youth Forum on Environment held in Accra

Accra, Nov. 30, GNA - A national youth forum on environment opened in Accra on Thursday with a call on the youth to embrace environmental preservation and conservation methods as a way of life.

Mr Kofi Amponsah Bediako, Government Spokesman on Social Services, who made the call, said keeping the environment clean would help to reduce the number of people that reported sick at the health centres. He said about 40 per cent of all out-patient cases were environmentally related and the monies spent in treating such patients could be channelled into other sectors if environmental issues were taken more seriously.

The forum was organised by the Ghana Wildlife Society (GWS) in collaboration with the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment with support from the United Nations Development Programmes (UNDP).

The event, which was characterised by intermittent power failure, was under the slogan "Knife-Edge- United against Environmental Degradation".

It brought together students from second cycle schools, Wildlife Clubs and youth groups from the southern sector of the country, including the Volta, Ashanti, Central, Eastern, Western and Greater Accra Regions.

More than 1,000 young people attended the forum with representatives of the schools articulating their views on how to address the challenges of the environmental problems confronting the country.

Mr Amponsah Bediako said the institution of the Ministry of Information and National Orientation was to re-orient the minds of the youth towards issues of national concern such as the environment. "The Ministry is concerned about the dissemination of information to the youth about the environment."

Dr Erasmus Owusu, Executive Director, GWS, said the forum aimed at facilitating a continuous dialogue on sustainable use and resources management, as well as creating and promoting environmental healthcare and civic education.

He said in the past similar forums were held under different names targeting the junior membership.

He said Thursday's programme, which is a re-launch, is under the name "National Youth Forum on Environment Ghana (NYFG)" adding that this was in view of the ever-growing importance of the youth in nation building and development.

Dr Owusu said the mission of the forum was to create a willing, resourced and committed Ghanaian youth, ready to volunteer their resources to conserve the natural environment of Ghana.

Master Hamzah Abraham of Ghana Secondary Technical School, Takoradi, who presented a paper on the plastic waste menace advocated for the institution of the three "Rs" namely reuse, reduce and recycle in plastic usage.

He also presented a 21-point Memorandum to the Government Spokesman for onward submission to the Minister of Information and National Orientation.