Food for All Africa, Street Academy clean beaches to observe World Earth Day

Food For All Africa, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), has urged Ghanaians to adopt environmentally friendly practices to prevent the destruction of the earth.

According to the Operations Manager of the organisation, Mr Nelson Agboba, while the government was expected to develop policies to protect and preserve the environment, citizens also have a responsibility to play their part.

He, therefore urged the public to eschew practices such as improper waste disposal, illegal small-scale mining, and other activities that pollute and degrade the environment.

Mr Agboba made these remarks in an interview with The Spectator on Saturday, during activities organised by Food For All Africa in partnership with the Street Academy to mark this year’s World Earth Day.

The event, observed on Wednesday, April 22, was held under the theme, “Our Power, Our Planet.”

Activities undertaken by the NGO, with support from volunteers and partners, included community and beach clean-up exercises, fun games, food sharing, and networking sessions with community members on the need to protect the environment.

“As an organisation, we believe that the government alone cannot ensure the protection of the earth, but we, as citizens, have an equal responsibility to take care of our environment. If we do so, it makes the government concentrate on other aspects of the economy,” Mr Agboba said.

While urging citizens to act responsibly, he also called on the government to rigorously enforce existing environmental policies.

“We have the policies, but implementing them is what matters. We have agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which are to ensure that our environment is protected, but the policies are not being implemented,” he stated.

“So, what I will say is that the government should enforce and ensure that the policies are implemented,” he added.

Mr Agboba further noted that the organisation had developed a programme that converts organic waste into fertiliser, which is then processed into poultry feed for farmers.

He called for support from corporate organisations, government, and individuals.

The Founder and Executive Director of Street Academy, Dr Ataa Lartey, said his organisation prioritises environmental protection through activities such as waste recycling, which help instil good habits in children.

He, therefore, welcomed the partnership with Food For All Africa, describing it as a strategic and impactful move to ensure the protection of the earth.

Residents around the Arts Centre in Accra who participated in the clean-up exercise expressed gratitude to the organisers and called on other organisations to undertake similar initiatives.

BY BENJAMIN ARCTON-TETTEY