Nkwanta (V/R), Oct. 13, GNA - About 35 per cent of Ghana's land area is under threat from desertification, due to high population growth rate, increasing demand for land, deforestation and inappropriate land use practices.

Mr Joseph Kwaku Nayan, Deputy Volta Regional Minister announced this at the Volta Regional launching of this year's World Environment Day at Nkwanta on Thursday.

He observed that human activities had led to the expansion of the country's savannah zone from 55 per cent in 1972 to 58.1 per cent in 2000.

Mr Nayan said in addition, the direct effect of irresponsible human actions on the environment had chains of reactions most often unfavourable to mankind.

"Everything we do sets a chain of events that extends far beyond our control, for example the destruction of the forest cover has reactions; the reaction of causing soil erosion, infertility and poor soil productivity - poor rainfall and drought," Mr Nayan said. He said the unbearable conditions of desertification including food insecurity; poverty and loss of livelihood were responsible for the migration of strong youthful groups to other parts of the world aggravating the socio-economic tensions in the affected area. Mr Nayan said it was therefore important for stakeholders in the sector to embark on the creation of a greater environmental awareness at all levels in the society to enable people consider and appreciate the effects of their activities and the importance of safeguarding the environment.

Mr Edwin Setsoafia Ahorney, Volta Regional Programme Officer of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) noted that human civilization had become the principal cause of change in the global environment. He observed that the low level of water in the Volta Lake, global warming, ozone depletion and the loss of living species were all images that signalled the distress of the global environment.

Mr Ahorney stated that all was not yet lost for the country and that EPA was collaborating with the Ministry of Lands, Forestry and Mines in the three northern regions to undertake projects to alleviate the impact of the encroaching Sahara desert.

He said EPA had in addition, designed action plans for various district assemblies to incorporate into their development plans and was supporting environmental clubs and non-governmental organisations technically to embark on tree planting and other bio-conservation projects to minimise the impact on the environment. Mr Ahorney mentioned Nkwanta, Krachi East and West Districts as the most fragile and vulnerable ecological ecosystems threatened by desertification in the Volta Region. He said it would be appreciable if those districts could enact and enforce bye-laws to create buffer zones of about 100 metres along streams that fed the Volta Dam in their districts, adding that the initiative would not only save the flora and fauna but also ensure a rise in the water level of the dam. Mr Joseph Denteh, Nkwanta District Chief Executive said the unauthorised logging of timber in the district's forest zones had become a source of worry to the assembly. He therefore, called on the traditional rulers to collaborate with the assembly to check the phenomenon and implored parents and guardians to inculcate in their children the essence of caring for the environment for posterity.