Appah-Sarpong (middle) receiving signed copies of the letters of intent from Christian Neuman, Programme Leader, Ecosystems, Economies and Sustainable Development at Grid Arendal. Looking on is Mr. Dacoasta (left).
THE ENVIRONMENTAL Protection Agency (EPA) of Ghana, in collaboration with the German Ministry of Environment, Nature Conservative and Nuclear Safety, has launched an Integrated Oceans Management Project in the country.
Dubbed “Mami Wata Pilot Project in Ghana,” the initiative is expected to receive a € 770,000 funding from the German government.
It is to be implemented in Ghana from 2018 to 2020. It forms part of the Abidjan Convention to which Ghana is a signatory.
Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire and Benin have been selected for the Mami Wata Initiative for the West African Region.
DAILY GUIDE has gathered that the initiative has three components – identifying Ecological and Biological Significant Areas (EBSAs), State of the Marine Environment (SoME) reporting, and Marine Spatial Planning.
Coming at a time when Ghana has placed a ban on marine fishing on its waters, the project which is to be carried out in Ellembelle in the Western Region of the country, is due to provide capacity building for some individuals in Ghana.
Programme Manager of the Abidjan Convention, Richard Dacosta, speaking at the launch of the initiative on Wednesday in Accra, indicated that the main objective of the initiative was to improve the management and conservation of marine and coastal water systems.
He said the project would pay attention to result-based management of the marine and coastal ecosystems of Ghana.
He indicated that there shall be peer-to-peer learning activity and the sharing of experience.
According to him, issues that contribute to oil spillages in oceans shall be looked at under the project; hence the choice of Ellembelle where there is an oil exploration activity.
Deputy Executive Director of EPA, Ebenezer Appah-Sarpong, said that would go a long way to define the activities that Ghana undertakes in the sector going forward.
He continued “we will ensure that this project bears the fruits for which we are doing it.”
At the launch, Â EPA signed letters of intent for the project together with its partners namely Grid Arendal and the Abidjan Convention.
BY Melvin Tarlue & Will Tierney