Climate Change And A Thirsty World

Floods came in abandon three months ago and destroyed properties including lives in parts of northern Ghana. Now flooded areas are dry up leaving the people on the breadline for clean drinking water as the flood waters dripped underground and percentage ran into polluted lakes, rivers and salted sea.

Studies on water situation in northern Ghana indicated the region is endowed with surface water and much less of groundwater resources. The area is relatively dry, with a single rainy season that begins June or July and ends October. Available surface water is about 1, 737 billion gallons per annum which is about 19% of the total annual national figure of 40 billion m3.

However, this amount is not available all year round as most of the rivers draining the region dwindle to hardly any or no flow in the dry season with only pockets of stagnant water remaining because of the high seasonal rainfall variation.

The region underlain by mainly the voltaian sedimentary geological formation which is generally perceived as not a good source of groundwater with low borehole success rate of about 53% according to the Ghana Hydrological Service Department.

Northern region has an estimated population rate of 2.8% according to the 2000 population and housing census. The implication is that population is steadily increasing but the water resources are not available throughout the year. This resulted in water rationing, created conflict for water among residents.

This also implies that there is growing demand for clean drinking water which is exacerbating the degradation of land and water resources as well as increasing conflict in water use.

Now with the advent of climate change the area is faced with severe water crisis. The rainfall patterns had changed and the people would not have privilege to meet their Millennium Development Goals (MDG) on water. Here comes a new way of conserving water-rainwater harvesting tank technology. The technology which is said to be unaffordable considering per capita income of the people is just one way of climate change mitigation or adaptation on water.

According to the 2000 population census, northern region had 1,820,806 people and the daily water available at the time was 2083 gallons per person.

The estimated 2010 census is 2,259800 and the daily water available is now reduced to 1,659 gallons per person, a reduction of 20% within ten years according to the authorities of Ghana Water Company.

The seriousness of this is that Ghana Water Company could not expand to cover almost every rural community. The bulk of the water managed is concentrated within urban cities leaving our rural folk grappling for clean drinking water.

 As result the region is grappling with guinea worm disease, a debilitating diseases that though could be eradicated but continue to stay despite actions by Ghana Health Service (GHS) and government of Ghana and Carter center.

The under ground waters are also said to be full of alkaline, fluoride, high chlorine content that makes its usage or consumption impossible. Most communities whose are forced to drink from these water sources and now suffering tooth decay and gum disease. Climate change had worsened the plight of these people leaving in breadline for clean drinking water.     

 In Some communities women and children have to trek for distance in search for cleaner water for house chores. they apparently have to compete with animals for the scare resource to make a living.

Aftermath of Durban conference: CARE demands immediate review of “Green Fund establishment”

Francis Npong, Accra-Ghana,  Officials of CARE International are unhappy with the outcome of the just ended Climate

Mr. Baba Tuahiru addressing participants during the workshop

Change negotiation Conference (COP17) held in Durban, South Africaand demanded immediate review. According to the organization, though the parties agreed on the establishment of “Green Fund” at the last minutes before the end of COP17, the source(s) of the fund was/were not established.

This, CARE said would not only make the implementation of climate actions difficult but would render the ‘binding agreement’ in the Kyoto Protocolineffective. The organization however demanded immediate review to establish sources of funding to “Green fund” to finance effective climate change campaigns the world over.

A Coordinator of CARE Ghana, Mr. Baba Tuahiru who expressed the opposition of the organization was addressing experts and some members of civil society organizations operating in Ghana during a day’s workshop on climate change adaptation experiences in Ghana.

The workshop which was organized by “Building Capacity to meet the climate change challenge (B4C) project” being run by the University of Ghana in collaboration with CARE International Adaptation Learning Programme (ALP), Ghana Wildlife Society, Centre for African Wetlands and the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology held at the Centre for African Wetlands Auditorium at the University of Ghana reviewed the just ended COP17 and discussed climate challenges arising in Ghana.

Mr. Tuahiru stated that the feet dragging by developed countries to support by ratifying Kyoto Protocol document to make it binding to deal with climate change was unfortunate. “it is unfortunate that developed nations were unwilling to support Kyoto Protocol to make it binding on parties though they are aware the impacts of their activities on developing countries”, he said.

“To avoid blames, a green fund was established but there was no source(s) of funding and that will make the realization of that fund difficult”, he stressed. Climate Change, Mr. Tuahiru pointed out does not affect developed nations alone and that the economic meltdown in developed nations given rise to youth uprising was partly because of climate change. He however, urged developed nations to develop their own adaptation programmes, and integrate them into their development plans, build climate resilience projects to reduce the effects global warming their people.

He said that CARE was collaborating with a number of organizations in some African nationsto implementation Adaptation Learning Programme aimed at integrating climate change policies in people’s daily activities.

Professor Yaa Ntiamoa-Baidu of the University of Ghana addressing participants during the workshop

The University of Ghana’s B4C project Director Professor Yaa Ntiamoa-Baidu disclosed that the University of Ghana through B4C project would soon rollout climate change courses to build capacities of people in Africa to help cope with climate change effects.

She said the project would also support the first 15 students that enrolled into the programme as parts of the university’s plans to support the continent to cope with development challenges rises as a result of climate change. The institution Prof. Ntiamoa-Baidu hinted would also undertake research to determine the level of climate change effects on livelihoods and development.

She appealed for partnership and collaboration to help them train human resources to build climate change resilience projects to support the livelihoods of the poor and vulnerable within the Africa continent. Some of the topics discussed during the workshop includes building capacity for the climate change challenge B4C project, Climate change adaptation through integrated water resources management in the three northern regions of Ghana, lessons from conservation agriculture practices, climate change and health in Accra project, climate change and food security in the Afram Plains in Ghana , importance of technology in climate change adaptation and sharing information on water management systems and livelihoods project under the global water Initiative among other topics. The workshop also proposed capacity building for government and policy makers and implementers, building climate change resilience projects, integration of climate change into national development plans and programmes and equipping rural dwellers the necessary knowledge and technologies to improve agricultural practices, forestation and forest conservation and the use of efficient energy technologies as a way forward to the adaptation of climate change in Ghana.

Climate Change Campaign to be buried In Chicken And Beer again?

The Year is ending again but the world is still at a fix. National Economies are melting down, unemployment and economic hardship is soaring and governments being pull down. The youth the world over is at work defining their future as they undertake dangerous and life threatening actions. 

This is an indication that all is not well and the need to redefine leadership of countries. Another Christmas and new year events are here again. we undertook similarly or same festivities last year most which was COP16. COP16 actions were buried under Chrismas and new year events that crippled climate change campaign which picked up vigorously few weeks, no, months before the events.

The aromas in the kitchens, beers in the dinning rooms and clubs alas overshadowed climate change campaign cooling down radically the campaign that picked up and gathered momentum. Hey! stop there.

The climate change campaign was burried under beer and whisky during these festivities. The word green was conspiciously missing in the celebrations. Will that happens this year too?

I am sure if we were serious beings our celebration will be greener considering the trauma we went through as a result of climate change. Here i am referring to flooding that killed and destroyed, hunger and starvation put fears in us, water crisis and food insecurity that became topical issues during the year. Almost at the sametime last year we gathered at Cancun (COP16) as we did in Durban (COP17) this year in attempt to come out with green plans to salvage our planet from harm. Like COP16, we agreed to set up green fund however the setting of the fund do not have sources so where will that money come from for implementation of climate change actions?. This is yet another failed conference to me and we the members of the world should put bury our head in shame for failing ourselves again. what is happening? Well, as simple as personal interest, greed, power drunk, we still want to remain the way we were/are.

Our failures to tackle climate change means that we are ready for any natural or artificial calamities so be it stamped and sealed. 

  
My fears? Are we really committed to the fight against climate change? why are we not celebrating christmas and new year in green style?

This however keeps me wondering what human being is made of. when floods were wrecking properties we promised actions, when snow took over cities we promised action, where tornadoes swept riverbanks and killed people we promised action but when Christmas and new year came we buried these promises under beer and chicken.
I picked up the following disturbing events during last year's christmas and new year
1. At supper markets, plastic bags, rappers were distributed which ended up in a street
2. thousands of chickens, and other animals species lost their lives
3. the transport sector boomed during these period
4. there were mass production in all petroleum products
5. too much noise in cities hitting up the environment (micro-climate)
6. the consumption of fossil fuel had increased in word market leading to fuel price hike in Ghana 25 to 30 percent the government announced
7. there were no green christmas and new year messages from authorities
8. whiskys and beers were in short supply
9. condoms and Aphrodisiac were in hot demand
10. tens of thousands of marriages were celebrated
Hmmm? we seem to be glad doing what he love best.....
The word climate change was overshadowed by kitchen aromas. this however indicated how little or no concern we are to our environment. the above products got us crazy and lost in mind, totally forgotten about the future, cheers
Hurray go clubbing, hahahaha

GreenHouse Gas picture

I took this picture in the business center of Accra, Ghana during my recent visit to that city where i participated in a climate change workshop organised by CARE International for members of the parliamentary select committee on environment. 

The picture explains how greenhouse effect takes place using the sun light and glassy bank building with a clear reflection of sun rays which reflects upward as rays hit the glassy building.

In the picture you will see some beams of sun light reflected back and headed towards the atmosphere while the other beams of the rays hitting the earth surface and trapped in. This picture tries to explain how the green house gas works in relation to the climate change.

Thanks for reading

Forestry Commission cites: DCE, Police In Timber Deal

some piles of rosewood beams

Francis Npong, Tamale

A chain saw operator who allegedly felled over 1000 trees in Saboba District in the Northern Region after securing a permit from the district assembly to do so has been arrested by the Yendi police.

The Chain saw operator identified as Dari Abass who is now helping police investigations and his accomplices, now at large were transporting full loads of rosewood beams in two cargo trucks with registration numbers AS 5237X and ER 7362 E to Accra when the tracks were impounded by the youth in Ugando community in the Saboba district on the suspicion of illegality.

The case, which is now before the forestry commission in Yendi has implicated the District Chief Executive for Saboba Mr. Adolf Ali and a number of personnel in the Saboba District Assembly and Saboba Police for complicity and bribery.

Briefing the Enquirer in his office the Northern regional Director of the Forestry Commission Mr. Ebenezer Djaney Djagletey who suspected complicity in the felling of trees among the major stakeholders in the Saboba District indicated his office readiness to bring perpetrators of the act to book irrespective of the position of people involved.

To help the commission deal with the issue, the Director has petitioned the Northern Regional Security Council (REGSEC) to look into the matter citing uncooperative of the district police, issuance of permit by the district assembly and the growing tension between the communities in that Electoral Area.

The Enquirer information indicated that some key personnel of the district including DCE were alleged bribed with unspecified cash by the chain saw operator to allow then carry out his act.

A receipt in possession of the Enquirer dated 18^th August 2011 under the heading “permit” issued to Mr. Dari Abass by the Saboba District Assembly reads “Received from Dari Abass the sum of one thousand Ghana cedis (Ghc1,000) on the account of felling trees in the Saboba District” was in fulfillment of the agreement between them.

The illegal lumbering was done at the time the government was spending huge sums of taxpayers money trying to revamp the depleted forest in Ghana and as measures to check climate change.

Currently this issue of lumbering is said to have tempered with the security as communities such as Ugando, Jagrido, and Nangundo were allegedly bracing fight.

For reasons, the forestry commission has petitioned the Northern Regional Security Council to intervene to allow the law to take it course.

The investigative team of the commission though has not been able to ascertain the actual acreage of the forest depleted but the manager pointed out that number of rosewood beams seen around the bushes in the depleted area so far  suggested about 5,000 hectares of land would have been affected.

The chain saw operator was allegedly hired by a Tema based wood trading company, to deplete the forest at Saboba District after it was realized the rosewood beams which is currently on high demand in the world market in abundant in the north.

Though the law in Ghana forbids commercial wood logging in any part of northern Ghana, personnel of the Saboba District who were supposed to help enforced government directives rather aid the culprits by granting them permit to the illegitimate act.

Speaking in a telephone interview, the Yendi Forestry manager Mr. Henry Kudiabo said alleged that the Saboba District police were frustrating the move by the commission to deal with the lumbering in the area. He said that the police were not cooperating with his office leaving room to suspect some complicity.

He was also unhappy with the personnel of the saboba District Assembly for issuing permit to the chain saw operators to cut down trees when his office was making efforts to revamp the already depleted vegetation in the region.

“The tree felling was going on in the district for month now but the assembly did nothing to stop

but rather aid”, he said. The efforts to contact the DCE for Saboba District Mr. Adolf Ali for his comment was unsuccessful as all his phone lines available to the Enquirer could not go through. However the

Enquirer was informed the DCE had travelled out of the district when it made a subsequent phone call to the District assembly.

UDS researches climate change to improve livelihoods up north

The University for Development Studies (UDS) has initiated a project dubbed “Grass for Carbon” (G4C) as part of it mandate to help communities in their operational areas to cope with climate change effects.

The Pro-Vice Chancellor of the university Prof. David Millar who disclosed this to the Enquirer in an exclusive interview said that the proposed research would identify viable economic, fire resistance and carbon absorber wild grasses, nurture them as part of efforts to protect and strengthen the vegetation cover of the north to check climate change. “the proposed “Grass 4 Carbon” is a 4-year “critical research” with the focus on the development of wild grasses that are both good carbon absorbers, fire resistance and economic”, he said. The proposed research according to Prof. Millar would also examine the possibility of using grasses for energy using new technology to transform it into forms of charcoal to replace the excessive tree cutting for firewood or charcoal that contributed to the depletion of the forest.

Prof. Millar explained that the proposed research on carbon trading would give clear understanding the local dynamics of climate adaptation and coping mechanisms and seeks novel ways to pre-empt the worst effects of climate change.  The Pro-VC who would be leading the research team explained that the study was necessary to comprehend not just the changes that are taking place but more importantly, the coping strategies employed by the local populations to mitigate the negative effects of climate change.

“The research will also allow for a clearer understanding of the various dynamics of the local livelihood situations and what new strategies may be introduced to assist these poor and vulnerable people to cope with the effects of climate change”, he said.

 Prof. Millar said the university however was seeking funding support from the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA), international and local Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs), and other interested organizations in climate change issues to come onboard to support their course saying the project has the potential to mitigate or reduce the carbons emitted into the atmosphere and at the time same promote livelihoods. Research had shown that grasses are good absorbers of carbons with potentials of reducing carbon in the air by 65%  that would lessens the risk carbons poses to Ozon layer that protect the earth from dangerous heat or chemicals dangerous to lives.

The proposed “Grass 4 carbons” research by the university when commence would be the first comprehensive research on climate change in the region and for that matter Ghana that relates climate change to livelihoods.

The Pro-VC said that the research does not only aimed to boost northern economy, and reduce carbons in the atmosphere, bush fires, and tree felling but also aimed to enhance weaving industry to attract investors and tourists into the region.

“The project’s “economic grasses” are those that are used in the baskets, hats, and furniture weaving industry”, Prof. Millar explained.

He said that the university which operates under the pro-poor policies was not only committed to academic works but also to policies and programmes that support community livelihoods improvement.

The UDS he pointed out was challenged following limited researches that have been done on climate change variability that does not relate climate change to livelihoods in northern Ghana where evidence of the effects of climate change was obvious.

The northern Ghana which covers about 40% of total mass of Ghana is the most populated region whose people depended largely on fire wood as their source of energy while agriculture is the mainstay of the people’s livelihoods. There is also widespread of shifting cultivation system of farming, bush burning that turned the region into semi-desert.

The Climate change which is currently a global topic has re-awakened to calls to states to rethink their environmental laws, policies and programmes that would ensure good and acceptable environmental practices. The scientific researches clearly established that both natural and anthropogenic factors contribute to climate change. However, many related issues remain unresolved, including the extent of the impact of those two factors and their interplay. The question of scientific uncertainty with regard to the causes of climate change and its impact is still a debatable global issue.

Ayariga: Lack of rural banks impedes Gov’t agric policy

Francis Npong, Tamale

T he National Coordinator of Northern Rural Growth Programme (NRGP) Mr. Roy Ayariga has called on the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in the northern region to facilitate the establishment of rural banks to widen the cope of farmers’ access to financial or loan facilities. According to the Coordinator, the lack of rural banks particularly in northern region was impeding the progress of NRGP and other government agricultural initiatives aimed to empower local farmers and therefore called on MMDAs in the region to make frantic efforts to facilitate the establishment of rural banks in each district to help empower farmers to increase crop production. Mr. Ayariga made the called when he briefed the Enquirer on the progress of NRGP since its inception two years ago. “Unlike Upper East where almost every district has a rural bank supporting farmers, with exception of only two districts there are no rural banks in northern region and this is hindering the progress of NRGP”, he said. The Coordinator also appealed to the national banks not to shy away from financing agricultural activities which he said is the backbone of the economy of this country.  Northern Rural Growth Programme (NRGP),is a $104-million agricultural support project funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), African Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of Ghana and aimed to reduce poverty among farmers in the three northern regions. The NRGP is designed specifically to contribute to the government’s poverty reduction strategies in northern Ghana through commodity value-chain development, rural infrastructural improvement and enhanced financial access or services. Currently farmers in 38 districts in northern, Upper East and West regions including five other districts in parts of Brong Ahafo region were benefiting from NRGP. Before NRGP it was difficult for farmers and famer based organizations to access loans from banks and recognition of this difficulty NRGP had joined forces with rural banks to empower farmers to increase production at the same time helped reduce poverty among them. Mr. Ayariga said lack of rural banks in some districts was making it difficult for farmers at that areas to access NRGP grant facility and that establishing rural banks in these districts would increase the beneficiary famers to achieve the desire result of the programme. He also made a passionate appealed to national banks to expand their services to rural communities to offer farmers opportunity to access financial services to produce more to feed the nation and for export saying agriculture is business and must be seen as such and that until farmers recognized that they could not make meaningful  impact.