Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, has revealed that the Ministry, in collaboration with the Forestry Commission, has instituted several robust measures to safeguard and preserve Ghana’s Ramsar sites.
These measures encompass law enforcement mechanisms, community sanctions, stakeholder engagements, education and awareness campaigns, research and monitoring, ecosystem restoration, tourism promotion, and the use of Community Resources Management Areas (CREMAs).
The disclosure was made in Parliament when the Minister responded to a question raised by Mohammed Adams Sukparu, Member of Parliament for Sissala West, inquiring about the steps taken to protect the country’s five Ramsar sites.
Mr. Jinapor highlighted the progress achieved in the Keta Lagoon Ramsar Site, where 57 hectares of degraded mangrove areas have been successfully restored, and six hectares of community woodlots were established through collaborative efforts with Arocha Ghana, Kasa Initiative, and Sea Solutions.
The Minister further announced the upcoming restoration and establishment of an additional 15 hectares of degraded mangroves and six hectares of community woodlots by the end of the year.
To prevent the killing of marine turtles, five informant networks have been established, and four Community Resources Management Areas (CREMAs) have been set up in Avu-Lagoon, Anlo-West (now Angor), and Galo-Sota Galotse (now Dusornu), with more planned to support conservation efforts.
In the Songhor Lagoon Ramsar Site, the Ministry has made significant strides by establishing over eighteen hectares of red and white mangrove plantations in the Obane community, and an additional 12.1 hectares along the peripheries of the Wasakuse lagoon.
Furthermore, numerous seedlings have been planted in Puteh, Faithkope, and Futuyan.
This site has also become a notable ecotourism destination, offering attractions such as bird watching, night turtle walks, and mangrove plantation visits.
The Minister reassured the Parliament of the commitment of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources and his personal dedication to ensuring the effective management and preservation of Ghana’s Ramsar Sites.
He emphasized the significance of wetlands in environmental protection, as they hold immense economic, cultural, scientific, and recreational value.
He disclosed the Sakumono Ramsar Site, which has faced increasing threats from encroachers, is receiving heightened attention with intensified community engagements and planned demolition exercises to protect its core area.
Collaborating with the Greater Accra Regional Security Council and traditional authorities, the Ministry aims to safeguard this international asset.
The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat, also known as the Ramsar Convention, was adopted at the International Conference on the Conservation of Wildfowl and Wetlands, on 2nd February 1971, in Ramsar in the Islamic Republic of Iran, among others, promote the conservation of wetlands and waterfowl by establishing nature reserves on wetlands.
The Convention enjoins contracting parties to designate suitable wetlands within their territory for inclusion in a List of Wetlands of International Importance.
A wetland refers to land covered by freshwater or saturated water and serves as natural wastewater treatment and carbon saturation.
They are crucial for food security, water supply, agricultural production, energy resources, and transport.
They also serve as a habitat for migratory birds and support flood control, as well as shoreline and storm protection.