The environment constitutes an essential part of the earth requiring every person to pay serious attention to its protection, so as to be able to keep to what is known as sustainable development for mankind.

In fact, without an effective environmental protection, the earth on which we live will not be able to sustain itself for the existence and growth of mankind, as well as other things that depend on the environment. It is for this reason that all stakeholders need to come together and ensure effective strategies that would make it possible for all inhabitants on the earth to have their interest protected as far as guarding the environment is concerned.

This means that we need to devise strategies that are workable and are result oriented, so that the ultimate results will be beneficial to mankind and all other inhabitants on the earth. In this regard, all species ought to be protected in line with the desire of everyone to have the environment adequately and effectively protected. The various strategies needed here must be seen to be protecting the interest of all stakeholders.

STAKEHOLDERS

The stakeholders in this matter include miners, mining authorities and organisations, regulatory bodies like Environmental Protection Agency, Local Assemblies, Ministry of Environment, the Government, as well as individuals in organisations that make use of the enviroment through the various activities they undertake.

In connection with this, some high level seriousness is needed. Lack of seriousness will mean that the desire to address the issue of environmental protection will just serve as a talk shop but not serve as any practical way of addressing the matter, which is so essential for the survival of mankind and all other entities that dwell on the earth.

Government as a stakeholder must come out with policies on the environment, so that everyone in the country will share in its implementation. In the same way, the Ministries of Lands and Mineral Resources, and the Environment will all have to play a critical role in ensuring that policies are made workable and implemented well to the benefit of all stakeholders.

MINISTRIES CONCERNED

The Ministries concerned must, therefore, concern themselves with rigid coordination and implementation of policies and practices that will help preserve the environment.

Similarly, miners in all parts of the country must be closely monitored, so that no irresponsible behaviour in mining will be experienced anywhere in this country. Each stakeholder and implementing agency ought to show seriousness towards protection of the environment.

This means that the stakeholders will have to be groomed in crucial capacity building to make them more effective than ever before.

In all this, monitoring by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) becomes essential since, as far as the environment is concerned, the EPA is an important implementing agency.

EPA AS ESSENTIAL BODY

The EPA is an essential body in Ghana that ought to be given the support needed, so it can effectively monitor all activities that have an impact on the environment.

It is in light of all these, that, we are happy to hear about efforts being made by the EPA to work towards environmental protection. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is in the process of procuring more drones to boost its operations in mining communities.

It is important to note that the Agency is currently training its staff in the use of drones to monitor mining in their operational areas. The monitoring cannot be carried out with mere observation of people around but ought to be done through devices that can provide general overview within a short time, regarding the nature of mining that is taking place.

RE-TOOLING 

Mr Adarkwa Yiadom, Obuasi Area Manager of the EPA, who made this known said the Agency was currently on re-tooling to empower the staff to effectively undertake their mandate. Re-tooling is important because without it, new devices and tools cannot be obtained to replace old or worn out gagdets that are needed for effective monitoring.

Mr Adarkwa Yiadom was speaking at a day’s workshop to sensitise stakeholders in mining communities to the new approaches to address their grievances and strengthen their relationships with mining companies operating in their communities.

WORKSHOP

The workshop was organised by the Centre for Social Impact Studies (CESIS), a Research and Advocacy NGO, to sensitise members in mining communities to the Mine Site Assessment Tool, which had been developed by the Centre.

Even though re-tooling for EPA is important, the training should not end up just like that. A training workshop is important but at the same time evaluation is equally essential to ensure that the purpose and aims of training are achieved.

CONTINUOUS EVALUATION

Similarly, when the monitoring takes actual implementation, there must be continuous evaluation to let all stakeholders know that monitoring of the implementation plan is made effective for the purpose of Ghanaians in the country.

In conclusion, the need to protect the environment cannot be taken for granted but should be made workable for the country. The use of drones by the EPA to monitor activities affecting the environment is important that is why every individual ought to be actively concerned about the issue, so as to bring about effective sanitisation of the environment for the good of the country.

Contact email/whatsApp address of author:

Pradmat2013@gmail.com (0553318911)

By Kofi Amponsah-Bediako