Ghanaian NGO, ‘Hɛn Mpoano’, has warned that the country’s mangrove forests, once thriving along estuaries in the Volta, Central, Western, and Greater Accra regions, are rapidly disappearing due to human activities.
Practices such as charcoal burning, firewood harvesting, illegal mining, and urban expansion are accelerating the destruction, and without urgent intervention, coastal communities risk flooding, food insecurity, and worsening climate impacts
Speaking at a national dialogue on mangrove conservation, director of ‘Hɛn Mpoano’, Kofi Agbobah said, “Mangroves are natural climate allies, and so every hectare lost means weaker coastlines, fewer fish in our waters, and more carbon released into the atmosphere”.
To reverse the damage, Hɛn Mpoano has launched a restoration drive under the African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative, aiming to plant 200,000 seedlings in the Amanzule wetlands by 2030.
According to the Operations Manager for Wetlands, Eric Ata Kusi, the Commission is preparing to engage key stakeholders to find a solution that works for the country.
Hɛn Mpoano is urging the government and communities to enforce anti-deforestation laws, expand protected zones, and adopt ecotourism and sustainable use of mangrove resources.
Highlighting the scale of damage caused by human activities along the coast, Deputy Director of Hɛn Mpoano, Stephen Kankam, warned that “mangrove destruction is not just an environmental issue, but a national emergency that needs urgent attention.”
Mangroves are vital nurseries for fish and crabs, sustain the fishing industry, and act as natural sea walls that shield coastal towns from storms and erosion.
Scientists also say they store up to five times more carbon than rainforests, making them powerful weapons against climate change. Yet Ghana has already lost over 30 per cent of its mangrove cover in recent decades.
Source: myjoyonline.com