Ghana: MPs call for decisive action to end perennial Bushfires

Members of Parliament have called for decisive action to end the perrenial bushfires that have bedevilled the country over the years. According to them, the annual ritual of making statements on the floor calling for an end to bushfires must become a thing of the past, with definite policy interventions to end the menace.

These follow a statement by the Member for Bole Bamboi, Sulemana Yusif, on the effects of seasonal bushfires on livelihoods and the economy. The Bole Bamboi MP proposed a three pronged approach at the individual, community and national levels in order to find lasting solutions to the challenge.

The Member for Dormaa East, Paul Twum Barimah, urged all opinion leaders especially his colleague Members of Parliament to initiate tree planting in their various constituencies to help curb the menace.

The Member for Tamale North, Hon. Alhassan Suhuyini, who expressed concern about the destruction of Ghana’s forest cover as a result of bushfires, called for an independent body to help enforce PNDC law 229 of 1990 and related legislations on bushfire prevention. He noted that the bushfire menace has also affected electrification projects across the country especially in the Northern region.

The Member for Nsawam Adoagyiri, Hon. Frank Annoh Dompreh, stressed the need for policy makers to engage and empower Extension Officers and the District Assemblies to protect flora and fauna.

The MP for Tamale Central, Hon. Mutala Mohammed, on his part, spoke about the need for stakeholders to work at curbing cultural practices that fuel the occurrence of bushfires annually.

Source: Parliament