Nsawam: NAVA M/A Basic School at Nsawam has emerged victorious in the maiden schools climate change competition organised for selected schools in the Nsawam-Adoagyiri Municipality. The school polled 70 points, followed by second placed Nana Osae Djan Basic School with 67 points, and third placed Adoagyiri R/C Basic School with 65 points. The others were Nsawam Presby Basic School with 64.5 points and Reverend Father Wieggers Basic School with 63 points.
According to Ghana News Agency, the five schools received trash bins and baskets for their participation, whereas the winning school was presented with a cash prize in addition to the items received. The event was organised by the Greener Impact International (GII), a climate and environment advocacy group, in partnership with the Nsawam Adoagyiri Municipal Assembly. The event formed part of GII's Campaign Against Methane Emission in Ghana (CAMEG), an initiative aimed at promoting waste segregation and environmental stewardship among students.
Mr. Timothy Apeanti, Project Coordinator at Greener Impact International, emphasized the importance of exposing students to environmental and climate change advocacy early on. He stated that this exposure will help them champion best practices in their schools and communities. Mr. Apeanti noted that the competition has built the capacity of the students in environmental and climate change advocacy, which would in turn, make them ambassadors to promote the initiative. He added that they would be undertaking other initiatives to improve sanitation in the schools, including the formation of environmental clubs to ensure proper sanitation and waste practices in the schools.
Nana Baah Forson, School Health Education Programme Coordinator for the Nsawam Adoagyiri Municipality, commended the GII for its contribution to sanitation and climate advocacy in the area. He remarked that sanitation in schools in the Municipality had improved over time through their engagement and partnership with the organisation. Mr. Forson added that they would intensify efforts to ensure proper waste management in schools, and called for the provision of adequate waste bins for waste segregation and recycling.
Mr. Philip Kwasi Kadja, a teacher at NAVA M/A Basic School, shared that the competition had helped improve their knowledge on waste management practices. He mentioned that they had managed to create trash bins from the plastic waste, which they used to collect waste in their school and a designated place for dumping of refuse.
