Let's heed Rawlings' advice

Last Saturday, former President Jerry John Rawlings was reported to have lamented over the rate at which Ghanaians, by our activities have been causing damage to our environment through the illegal felling of trees and mining.

The former President also mentioned the wanton exploitation of our water bodies through the dumping of non-degradable waste like plastics, metals, chemicals, other poisonous materials and most importantly, galamsey.

Reporting the story, the Ghana News Agency (GNA) quoted Mr. Rawlings as saying that the time has come for us, as a nation to inculcate the culture of tree planting into our people, especially the youth, adding that it is the only way to prevent desertification in the country.

Speaking at a parade mounted by cadres to mark the 37th anniversary of the June 4 Uprising in Accra, Mr. Rawlings said: "Today, the poor rainfall trend has made the Akosombo and the Bui Dams completely irrelevant and an anachronism in our quest for sustainable electricity."

Continuing, former President Rawlings referred to a statement by the Deputy Chief of Staff in the current National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration, Johnny Osei Kofi, in which he was cautioning that Ghana risk importing water by 2021.

"This news item may sound preposterous to most people but that is the stack reality. There is the global water crisis created by the abuse of the environment.

"It is tragic to see rivers such as Ankobra, Pra, Offin and parts of the Volta, which used to provide clean potable water to huge communities now turned into a flow of mud and grim," Mr. Rawlings said.

He continued: "Just as how and what we are, reflects our sense of responsibility; so also that the environment reflects our sense of discipline and sense of responsibility. "In a country like Zimbabwe, you dare not cut down a tree, even in your own backyard without governmental permission.

"Nothing reflects our irresponsibility and indiscipline more than the neglect of our environment", he said, adding "the protection of the environment is the quickest way for a government or local authority to demonstrate its sense of discipline."

It appears Ghanaians have soon forgotten the importance of trees, which includes the provision of oxygen, improving air quality, climate amelioration, conserving water, preserving soil and supporting wildlife.

During the process of photosynthesis, trees take in carbon dioxide and produce the oxygen we breathe. Trees, shrubs and turf also filter air by removing dust and absorbing other pollutants like carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide. Trees also control climate by moderating the effects of the sun, rain and wind, while its leaves absorb and filter the sun's radiant energy, keeping things cool in summer.

In addition to influencing wind speed and direction, trees shield us from the downfall of rain, sleet and hail, as well as lower the air temperature and reduce the heat intensity of the greenhouse effect by maintaining low levels of carbon dioxide.

Furthermore, not only do the far-reaching roots of trees hold soil in place and fight erosion, but also they absorb and store rainwater, which reduces runoff and sediment deposit after storms, which helps the ground water supply recharge, prevents the transport of chemicals into streams and prevents flooding.

The Chronicle wants to re-echo the sentiments of former President Rawlings that the time has come for us, as a nation, to imbibe in our young ones the culture of protecting not only our trees but also our water bodies because the importance of these ecosystems goes beyond our imagining.

It would be catastrophic for managers of the Ghanaian economy to sit down unconcerned for us to cut down all our trees and destroy all our waters bodies just for a few people to make a living.

The Chronicle does not believe there are no laws in this country to stop the destruction of our ecosystem; rather our problem has always been that of enforcement.

People who have been entrusted with positions to manage sections of the economy, rather turned around to use same to amass wealth for themselves to the detriment of the larger society.

The time has come for the Mahama-led administration to crack the whip to ensure that people who are destroying our water bodies, be them chiefs, top politicians, etc. are brought to book as their activities would affect all of us.

We know that the various Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) have laws regarding the protection of our water bodies and cutting down of trees. Let's listen to former President Jerry John Rawlings and punish degraders of our environment, because as the saying goes, when the last tree dies, the last man dies.