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Mr. Eric Atta-Kusi, Wetlands Operations Manager at the Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission, has linked floods, water, and food shortages in Ghana to the mismanagement of wetlands.Speaking with the Ghana News Agency, he said wetlands, including Ramsar sites, support wildlife and help address climate challenges, adding that poor management had serious environmental consequences.
“Our wetlands are very important in the existence of man. I can say with confidence that if we are able to maintain our wetlands and our Ramsar sites, most of the challenges we are having in respect of flooding, water shortage, hunger and other things will be dealt with,” he said.Mr. Atta-Kusi urged agencies responsible for wetland management to enforce the Ramsar Convention’s provisions, adopted in 1971, which promote wetland conservation and sustainable use.
He also called on citizens, particularly traditional authorities, media, and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), to help protect wetlands, especially those in Accra.Mr. Atta-Kusi’s remarks follow the demolition of illegal structures on the Weija and Dansoman Ramsar sites, part of efforts to reclaim protected wetlands and reduce flooding in nearby communities.
President John Dramani Mahama had earlier directed the clearance of unauthorized developments on protected lands during a visit to Ramsar sites and flood-prone areas in Accra.Mr. Atta-Kusi noted that such demolitions could have been avoided if wetland managers had fulfilled their duties and citizens had been educated on wetland benefits.
Explaining their role in mitigating floods, food, and water shortages, he said plants like water lilies, which naturally grow around wetlands, provide food and livelihoods for locals.“Through these Ramsar sites, when it rains, the water is supposed to have seeped down very deep. But the wetlands keep the water for some time, and these waters end up in areas where we do construct boreholes and other things,” he added.
Source: GNA
