Goziri (UW), March 13, GNA - The Nadowli District Assembly has embarked on an environmental programme that would see the Assembly as one of the most environmental friendly districts in the sub-region. As a start, they have tasked the Environmental Sub-committee to establish links and under study environmental successes of other communities throughout the country to empower them to undertake similar projects in the district.

Mrs. Monica Kunkuo, Chairman of the Nadowli Sub-committee on Environment, announced this at Goziri near Nandom in the Lawra District when she led a 50-member delegation to understudy the 24 years of non-burning practices in the area. She said apart from visiting the communities, they would also consult some of the environmental organizations to seek technical advice that would help them "repair" the environmental damage they had caused over the years.

The delegation, which was made up of Assembly members, Chiefs and professionals from various organizations expressed satisfaction at the non-burning programme of the people of Goziri. Dr. Boye Bande, a social worker who was part of the delegation praised the chief and people of Goziri for their vision and commitment to their plans in fighting environmental problems in the area. He said although it would initially be difficult they would do a lot of sensitization for them to adopt good environmental practices in the Nadowli District.

Naa Leo Yiryel, Divisional chief of Goziri, said for the past 25 years they have not burnt the area.

He attributed the success of the programme to strict adherence to the by-laws instituted over the years.

Naa Yiryel said traditionally, whoever burns the area without reporting to the overseers is cursed and could die prematurely while people who set fire to the area are given on- the- spot fines to pay. He said they decided to reserve the place those years because there was no green grass for their cattle to graze on. As a result, he said the cattle were compelled to cross to the black volta where they were sharing boundaries with Burkina Faso where the cattle were always rustled.

"We therefore instituted those measures to restrict the movement of our cattle and to also to acquire feeding grass for our animals". He concluded.