President of Central University College urges ban on
plastic sachet water
Accra, May 22, Ghanadot/GNA -
Professor Victor Yao Gadzekpo, President of the Central
University College (CUC) on Thursday called for a ban on the
production of plastic sachet water in the country.
He said the plastic bag, which is not biodegradable, posed
real danger to the environment.
Prof Gadgekpo, who was speaking at a public lecture on
climate change and its impact on the environment, suggested
that producers of bagged water should be made to use
biodegradable materials.
The lecture, which was attended by students and some members
of the public, was organized by the Department of
Environment and Development Studies of the College in Accra.
It was on the theme: “Climate change: Impact and adaptation
strategies for Ghana”.
Prof Gadgekpo urged the government to enact a law against
the importation of used refrigerators, saying their gas
emissions equally posed great risk to the environment.
Dr Steve Duadze, a lecturer at the Department of Environment
and Development Studies of the CUC, called for concerted
efforts by the government and citizens to reduce the effect
of greenhouse gas emissions, which he said, was a major
cause of global warming, leading to climate change.
He said the increasing global temperature could have dire
consequences for Ghana’s agriculture production, as well as
water resources, health, biodiversity, energy and industry.
As a result of the climate change, underground water supply
would reduce by five to 22 percent by 2020 and this would
affect communities that depend on bore holes and other
underground water systems for drinking and sanitation, Dr
Duadze warned.
He said temperature rise would also lead to soil and surface
water loss through evaporation, placing additional stress on
resources regardless of changes in rainfall.
The impact of climate change could lead to silting of rivers
and lakes due to deforestation and erosion which in the long
run affect fish breeding. Besides, the salinization of
coastal lagoons may kill the fishes and destroy its habitats
and population, he added.
Dr Duadze said weather changes could cause low rainfall,
high temperatures and strong winds with the potential to
exacerbate bush fires, deplete the biodiversity and create
fire climax vegetation.
He recommended the use of appropriate water conservation
practices such as options that would enhance recharge and
storage of accessible underground water systems.
He called for the cultivation of drought-tolerant crops such
as cassava and early maturing crops in times of harsh
weather conditions caused by the climate change.
He also stressed the need for change in land use
intensification and extension of farming to underutilized
land, alley cropping and cropping in moist valley bottoms.
GNA
