Accra, May 19, GNA - The Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology will celebrate this year's International Day for Biological Diversity at Abofour in the Offinso District of the Ashanti Region on May 22, 2009.

A statement signed by Mr G.K. Scott, Chief Director of the Ministry said the day has been set aside by the United Nations (UN) for members to use the occasion to educate their citizens on issues regarding conservation of biological resources. It said the Convention on Biological Diversity is an arm of the UN, which deals with conservation of biological diversity, encourages all parties to the convention and all stakeholders to organize activities and events to celebrate the day and to take advantage of it to raise public awareness and showcase their effort to properly conserve their biological diversity.

The international theme for this year's celebration is; "Invasive Alien Species - One of the Greatest Threats to Biodiversity" and the local theme is: "Invasive Plants and Animals are a Threat to Food Security, Control Them".

The statement said invasive alien species are plants, animals, pathogens and other organisms that are non-native to an ecosystem, and which may cause economic or environmental harm or adversely affect human health.

It stressed that they impact adversely upon biodiversity, including decline or elimination of native species through competition, predation, or transmission of pathogens and the disruption of local ecosystems and ecosystem functions. It said in Ghana, it has been observed that the vegetation in some parts of the Offinso District, particularly at Abofour has been invaded by Pulp Mulberry (Brousonetia), locally known as "Yorke", which was originally introduced into the country for the production of paper. The statement said, this species of plant has taken over the forest ecosystem in the Offinso District thus depriving the local people of their livelihoods, adding that the "Yorke" is also invading the forest reserve of the River Afram Headwaters.

This forest reserve (2,938,880ha) offers protection for catchment areas of the River Afram, one of the major tributaries of the Volta Lake for that matter the Akosombo hydroelectric dam. The statement said the Ministry has outlined activities aimed at educating the people in the area and Ghanaians in general on how to control this invasive species and others. The activities include radio and television discussions by experts on the different ways of controlling the invasive species and the education of local communities.

The celebration would be climaxed with a durbar on May 22 at Abofour school park where the Minister would use the occasion to encourage the local people and experts in the country to work together in controlling the spread of invasive species. It called on all Ghanaians to cooperate in reducing the "Yorke" spread and desist from activities that degrade the ecosystems. 19 May 09