Anti-bushfire laws will remain unsuccessful without attitudinal change–DCE

Issa, (U/W),– Mr Nadi Imoro Sanda, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Daffiama-Bussie-Issa in the Upper West Region, says attitudinal change is key to the prevention of bushfires.

He said any anti-bushfire law will remain ineffective unless the people change their attitude.

“Without a proper change in attitude, people will continue setting fires recklessly,” he said.

Mr Sanda said stakeholders needed to intensify the educational campaign to create and sustain public awareness on the effects and consequences of bushfires on the economy.

Mr Sanda, who was speaking during the Regional launch of the anti-bushfire campaign held at Issa in the Daffiama-Bussie-Issa District, called on Assembly members and opinion leaders to join the bushfire prevention crusade by educating the society to change their attitude and support the fight for the preservation of the environment.

He said production was susceptible to the vagaries of the weather and entreated all to engage in activities that would not lead to the destruction of the farmlands and minimize losses.

He said the consequences of bushfires such as depletion of soil nutrients, loss of farmlands/produce, and the forest cover were very devastating and should be avoided to preserve the fertility of the soil for sustainable agriculture.

The DCE said the inauguration of the fire volunteers would allow them to monitor, mobilize, report and control wildfires and assured them of the Assembly’s support.

Mr Mustapha Ahmed, the Upper West Regional NADMO Director, noted that in 2019, 259 acres of farmlands were lost in the Daffiama-Bussie-Issa District through bushfires.

He said the inauguration of the fire volunteers was very important and all must take interest in supporting them to help prevent the rampant bushfires in the district.

Mr Ahmed said the DCE had assisted his office to tackle the menace, which resulted in the reduction of cases to 95 acres of farmlands lost in 2021.

He said in Nandom and Lawra Municipalities, they had not recorded cases of bushfires for over 10 years and this according to him could be achieved across all districts in the region with the necessary action from all stakeholders.

The Regional NADMO Director said the Daffiama-Bussie-Issa District was one of the districts in the region that was doing so well in terms of farming.

However, a significant portion of the food produced was often lost to bushfires and something must be done about it urgently.

Source: Ghana News Agency