EPA approves 14 proposals for funding under Ghana Environmental Management Project
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved 14 proposals for the Upper East Region for funding under the sub-projects of the Ghana Environmental Management Project (GEMP).
Community based organisations and non-governmental organisations are among other beneficiaries and they are to implement small projects in their respective communities.
The GEMP is a five-year project funded by the Canadian Government to support the Government of Ghana to address land degradation issues and reverse the trend of desertification and reduce poverty in Northern, Upper East and Upper West regions.
Addressing the Upper East Regional Environmental Management Committee (REMC) Meeting on the 2012 Approved Sub-projects – A Way Forward, in Bolgatanga on Thursday, Mrs Zenabu Wasai-King, Regional Director of the EPA, said 53 sub proposals were received by the REMC and shortlisted to 20.
She said these were sent to the National Action Programme Steering Committee which finally shortlisted to 14 based on merit.
Mrs Wasai-King said most of the proposals were rejected either because their budgets were too high or that the activities to be implemented were all about awareness creation, the impact of which could not be verified.
She indicated that as part of the package, those shortlisted would benefit from 116,000.00 Ghana cedis which was the first tranche of the disbursement for the 2012 fiscal year.
On activities carried out in the region under GEMP in 2012, Mrs Wasai-King mentioned the extensive education on bushfires in pilot communities, the revival and training of fire volunteer squads, completion of 10 strategic nurseries and formation of environmental clubs in schools among other things.
She said activities scheduled for 2013 include promoting continuous and detailed education with emphasis on drought and desertification, providing technical and policy advice on implementation of livelihoods options to communities, and organizing activities for school environmental clubs on GEMP.
She said challenges facing the implementation of GEMP include the vast terrain of the region, uncontrolled grazing activities of alien herdsmen and their cattle, unreliable rainfall pattern, attitudes of some communities towards tree planting activities and bushfires.
On lessons learnt, Mrs Wasai-King said attitudes towards the environment were changing for the better while women were getting a stronger voice and representation at the community level.
She called on the chiefs and people of the three northern regions and other stakeholders to collectively support the implementation of GEMP in order to improve soil fertility, increase agricultural productivity and reduce poverty in northern Ghana.
Members of REMC said the criteria for the selection of proposals was too demanding and beyond the ability of the communities which resulted in a number being rejected.
They recommended that the project financially supported at least one district environmental management committee meeting every quarter.
They appealed to the district assemblies and the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority and their allied institutions to buy tree seedlings from GEMP nurseries and supply to interested communities and schools for planting.
Source: GNA