Minister frowns on charcoal burning activities

 by Musah Umar Farouq

The Upper West Regional Minister, Amin Amidu Sulemani, has asked religious and traditional authorities in the region to collaborate with the various district assemblies, to stem the tide of charcoal burning, in order to halt the rapid degradation of the environment.

According to him, charcoal burning had become the central economic activity in most districts, and called on all stakeholders to speak against the practice to avert disaster as a result of climate change.

“Let us remember that posterity will not forgive us if we look unconcerned whilst our vegetation is being destroyed,” he cautioned.

The Minister, who was speaking at the second meeting of the sixth session of the Sissala West District Assembly last week Wednesday, said the rate at which the environment was being degraded could spell doom for the entire region if concerted efforts were not made to stop the practice, and urged all stakeholders to brainstorm on how best to curb this menace.

Amin Sulemani said the government would continue to address environmental challenges in the country, but without the support of all stakeholders, including traditional, religious and opinion leaders, not much would be achieved.

“It is important to emphasise that the livelihoods of the large majority of our kinsmen depend on the environment, and all activities that seek to destroy the environment will have adverse consequences for everybody,” he said.

Sulemani appealed to members of the assembly to take advantage of the numerous opportunities offered under the decentralisation policy of governance to improve the lot of the people in the area.

He gave the assurance that construction work was going on for the tarring of roads in the entire township of the district capital, while some roads, including that of Du-Gumo, Famia-Siton, Famia-Gbarima and Kupilma-Silebele, have also been reshaped.

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