Bongo: Environmental chiefs in the Bongo District of the Upper East Region have received commendation for their contributions to preserving the environment and promoting sustainability. The chiefs, numbering 25, were enskinned by their divisional chiefs under the auspices of the Bongo Paramountcy, with support from the Water Resources Commission (WRC), and have been actively working to protect the environment.
According to Ghana News Agency, over the past year, the chiefs have been leading initiatives such as tree planting and education campaigns to prevent harmful environmental practices, including bushfires, tree felling, and bad farming practices. These efforts are part of a broader strategy to restore degraded forest reserves, farmlands, and water bodies in their communities.
At a capacity building and training workshop in Bolgatanga, stakeholders in the water and environment sector applauded the chiefs for their proactive leadership in addressing pressing environmental and water pollution challenges. The workshop was organized by the White Volta Basin Secretariat of the WRC in collaboration with the Dutch Water Authorities under the Blue Deal Project.
The chiefs were enskinned to support the implementation of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) interventions in Bongo. They have intensified education in their communities on environmental protection and have planted trees, achieving at least a 50 percent survival rate since the beginning of 2024.
Naba Aiden Agilgo, Patron of the Environmental Chiefs, stated that each chief was given 10 seedlings to plant and nurture. They distributed five seedlings to community members and planted the remaining five themselves, all of which survived. The environmental chiefs have elected their leadership, meeting periodically to review activities and address environmental challenges in their communities.
The chiefs have been collaborating with community stakeholders to protect the environment and are seeking support to amplify their work for maximum impact. They have inspired interest in tree planting, with some community members offering land for plantations, though access to seedlings and sustainable water sources during the dry season remains a challenge.
Naba Baba Salifu Atamale Lemyaarum, Paramount Chief of the Bongo Traditional Area, praised the chiefs for their hard work and urged state institutions like the Forestry Commission and the Department of Agriculture to collaborate with them. He also appealed for tricycles to help transport water for tree irrigation.
Mr. Jesse Kazapoe, Head of the White Volta Basin Secretariat of the WRC, commended the chiefs for their efforts, noting the impact of climate change-induced extreme heat on tree survival. The Secretariat plans to continue supporting the chiefs in advancing environmental protection.
Mr. Jaap Bros, Coordinator of the Blue Deal Project, advised the chiefs to adopt good farming practices such as agroforestry and assisted natural regeneration to help retain water on farms and protect the environment and water bodies.