Regional News of Monday, 21 April 2008

Source: GNA

Farmers urged to adopt environmentally friendly practices

Sunyani (B/A), April 21, GNA - Mr. Isaac Osei, Brong-Ahafo Regional Director of Environmental Protection Agency has called on farming communities to adopt environmentally friendly practices to help protect the environment.

He urged the communities to plant tree seedlings along banks of water bodies and to adopt organic farming to guard against environmental degradation.

Mr. Osei made the call at the launch of the Student's Representative Council's week celebration of the Faculty of Forestry and Resource Technology of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology at Fiapre, near Sunyani.

The week is under the theme: "Environmental protection, the role of the state, our community and students".

Mr. Osei stated that, failure of the state to critically examine existing laws on the environment to ascertain their effectiveness in implementation would bring about environmental hazards.

"Certainly, it is quite clear that the implementation of the laws has virtually failed and this calls for the amendment of other environmentally related legislations to ensure stiffer punishment and enforcement", he added.

Mr. Osei appealed to the students to join environmental clubs in their institutions and put in practice what they had learnt and to educate the public about the effects of environmental degradation. Mr. Aaron Agyemang, SRC president, called on the students to use their innovative faculties to help recycle waste products to combat poor sanitation in the country.

He appealed to the government to provide laboratory and Information Communication Technology to promote and enhance the study of ICT among students.