PROTECTING GIFT OF NATURE (JAN 29)

THE country is experiencing a harmattan season described by experts as one of the severest in many years.
In other jurisdictions, severe weather conditions such as the one we are currently experiencing would have been preceded by an environmental and health alert. Unfortunately, in our case, the weather is being taken as a normal phenomenon and as usual everything has been left to nature.
Already, the severe weather conditions have brought in their wake an outbreak of flu and an increase in malaria cases across the country. The incidence of bush burning is also on the increase, while water bodies are drying up at a fast rate.
This situation has been aggravated by our utter disregard for environmentally friendly practices. Development planners, especially statutory bodies such as municipal, metropolitan and district assemblies, have looked on in helpless amazement while developers encroach on watercourses and residents litter indiscriminately.
Our utter disregard for environmentally friendly practices throughout the country has exposed the people to many health hazards in the course of the current intense harmattan conditions.
The forecast by weather experts that the harmattan conditions could persist for about two months should make us sit up to address the effects of environmental conditions on our vegetation.
These experts have long warned us about the effects of climate change on the environment if steps are not taken to halt some of the negative practices. From our perspective, very little has been done so far to lessen the adverse effects of global warming on the lives of the people.
The current harmattan conditions will affect the rainfall pattern of the country, with its concomitant negative impact.
The Daily Graphic appeals to the Ghana National Fire Service, the National Disaster Management Organisation and all district assemblies to educate the people on the effects of bushfires during this period so that they can be encouraged to be on the alert to manage the menace of the dry weather conditions.
Activities such as farming close to water bodies, galamsey operations and indiscriminate logging must be brought under control so that we can protect our environment and prolong life on earth.
Danger looms if we refuse to take appropriate measures such as the planting of trees to boost green belts throughout the country. Conscious activities such as the planting of trees, appropriate agricultural practices and ending indiscriminate littering can help us to restore the health of our environment.