Founder of of the Green Republic Nana Yaw Osei-Darkwa has stated that Ghana is currently having an environmental crisis due to how the nation is indiscriminately destroying its forests.
Speaking at the 3rd Annual Climate Benefit Ball under the theme ‘Reversing the Climate Trends, No Future without Trees’, Mr. Osei-Darkwa said that the current environmental crisis poses a national security threat to the country.
“Ghana has recklessly destroyed the very forests which provides security of absorbing the emissions which get stuck in the atmosphere leading to the abnormal levels of pollution we are currently experiencing. No wonder reports of deaths of very young energetic people have become so rampant from strange diseases including respiratory and devastating heart conditions. We are indeed in an environmental crisis as a nation, one which poses a national security threat,” he disclosed.
According to him, Ghana was recently ranked 7th most polluted nation in the world, a position which is worrying.
“No wonder our beloved Ghana was recently ranked the 7th most polluted nation in the world. I do not know how we individually processed that information, but my advice is this, if you took it as one of those normal findings, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, we would be doing grave injustice to ourselves and to our children’s children,” he said.
A ten-year-old student of Pioneer International Academy, Aseda Acheampomaa Bekoe, who is a Climate Change Ambassador implored leaders, parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles – guardians of the future generation to safeguard the Earth, making it a beautiful and secure home for all.
According to her, preserving the planet will also protect the future.
Speaking at the event, the Australia High Commissioner to Ghana, Mrs Berenice Owen-Jones, who was Special Guest of Honor at the event urged Ghanaians and the global community to come together and help turn around the situation in the country through sustainable-driven consciousness and behavior.
The event brought together several dignitaries including Kwabena Barning, the Chief Technical Officer of the Minerals Income Investment Fund, Mr. Daniel Uloko, DHL’s Country Director, Mr Bice Osei-Kuffour, MD for Ghana Post, Dr. Richard Atuahene, the CEO of Humano Group of Companies, Mr Keegan Wang, Managing Director of Waylead Company Limited, Mrs Ashes Messent, the CEO of JamJuice Café, Mr Fosu Frempong, the Managing Director of KFF Consult, Mr. Kweku Hanson, the CEO of TTS shipping, top officials of Sino Hydro Construction, Zoomlion, Kasapreko, NLA and many others.