Goziri (UW/R), March 23, GNA - The people of Goziri in the Lawra District of the Upper West Region has banned movements of pigs in the village. The ban, they believed would not only reduce environmental degradation caused by the animals, but would also allow the people to engage in productive farming activities in the area.

Naa Leo Aamwaa Yiryel, Divisional Chief of the Goziri Traditional Area announced this when a 50-member delegation from the Nadowli District Assembly Sub-committee on Environment visited the area to understudy their non-burning exercise. Apart from the ban on movements of pigs in the area, the people of Goziri have for the past 21 years not burnt the bushes in the area. Naa Yiryel said the focus was on pigs because they were the more destructive than other animals in the area.

On the non-burning exercise, the Divisional Chief said the village had enacted by-laws and anybody found guilty was made to pay on the spot fine to scare others from indulging in similar issues. Dr Boye Bande, a member of the delegation said the Goziri example was no longer a local asset but a national asset, which could be replicated in other communities. He said they would fight tooth and nail to discourage people from felling economic trees for charcoal and fuel wood.

Madam Monica Kunkuo, Chairperson of the Nadowli District Environmental Sub-committee said the assembly had set aside a substantial sum of money for the execution of environmental programmes in the district. She said the Nadowli District had the potential of restoring their degraded environment should the people become more conscious of their actions and inactions. Among the delegation was Naa Banamini Sando II, Paramount Chief of the Nadowli Traditional Area, Divisional and Sub-chiefs, Assembly Members and other professionals.