Pope Francis the Environmentalist: Saviour of Planet Earth - our Common Home

By Mawutodzi Kodzo Abissath

Pope Francis and President Obama, fraternal twin brothers and Global
Apostles of Environment and Climate Change

A popular Ghanaian adage says: “If a baby crocodile rushes out from under the water to announce that his father and mother are at each other’s throat then you better believe him.”

On Thursday, June 18, 2015, Pope Francis I made history that could classify him as the first Environmentalist Pontiff of the Catholic Church. That was the day a 182-page document dubbed PAPAL ENCYCLICAL LAUDATO SI, written by the Pope was released unto the world. In that document, the Pope spoke as if he was seating down watching the Creator the day the Earth was created.

Ecology and climate change

Well, the Catholic Church does not force but still encourages its faithful to appreciate praying in the once vibrant Latin which is a ‘dead language.’ Thus, the phrase Laudato si, mi Signore simply means “Praise be to you my Lord.” But the object of this article is not about Latin interpretation but to underscore the import of the Pope’s epistle to the world. It is about ecology; it is about climate change; and it is about the environment. This explains why it will not be out of place to baptize this Pope as Environmental Angel and Saviour of Planet Earth. I hope the world will listen to him. Otherwise, it will be said:  “And the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not comprehended it.” John1:5.

When I first read the Pope’s message on the BBC website, (http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-33182065 ) that day, my mind went to the Biblical Saint Paul who was fond of writing to his followers some 2000 years ago. Amazingly, hardly was the Pope’s thought-provoking message uploaded on the website when some anti-environmental apostles and climate change deniers started criticizing and castigating the Holy Father. Of course, even Jesus was not spared.

Science and Religion

Someone wrote that the Pope was not a scientist so he must leave the environment and climate change matters alone and focus on his religious doctrines.  Really?  This author does not want to engage in fruitless debate about science and religion. But he believes that the Pope has a moral right to comment on global environmental politics. By the way does one need to be a scientist to see that humans are the cause of environmental havoc globally?  Even in our local environmental politics and ecological economy here in Ghana, those who close their eyes can see that galamsey or illegal gold mining is devastating farmlands, destroying forests and polluting rivers by heart.   

Of course, the Pope is a human being and lives among other human beings. Even if he is not a scientist, his knowledge from animality, humanity and divinity cannot be underrated. Even the   knowledge of a neophyte catholic priest cannot be quantified in real terms. How much more of a Bishop, let alone a Pope. Like any world religious leader of good will, the point Pope Francis was making in his secular letter to his fellow human beings was just a caution. He was simply advising us “greedy mortals” to be prudent in the way we treat Planet Earth, which he refers to as “our Common Home.”  President Obama is another Apostle of environment and climate change I admire a great deal!

Sensitivity of the Pope

Philosophically, this is how the Pope put his risk-free thought across: “The earth, our common home is like a sister with whom we share our life and a beautiful mother who opens her arms to embrace us. We have forgotten that we ourselves are dust of the earth; our very bodies are made up of her elements; we breathe her air and we receive life and refreshment from her waters.” Based on these facts of life, the concerned man of God and Environmentalist Pope feels sad that man, out of greed and selfishness, has been mistreating and abusing this loving-kind-hearted mother called the EARTH.

Even I, common man, can sense that the consciousness of the Pope has been elevated to that degree of sensitivity   where he could feel the agony, the groans and the pain of Mother Earth as she threw her desperate arms towards the Creator, crying for rescue mission. Consequently, the enlightened soul invites all men and women of goodwill to listen to the lamentations of the miserable Mother Earth.   

 Pope Francis uses his Papal Encyclical Laudato Si, as a platform to humbly appeal to humanity, made up of individuals, families, local communities, national and the international community to fill not only the stomachs of present generation but to make some provision for those yet unborn as well. The Pope, with all humility, is appealing to the conscience of modern scientists, technologists, multilateral gold mining untouchables, galamsey super powers, international fishing trawlers, submarine wizards, chemical weapons strategists, atomic bomb architects, Green House Emission agricultural gurus,  as well as space craft manipulators who are contaminating the atmospheres,  to have mercy upon our Common Home –Planet Earth.

Earlier in March 2015, the United Nations World Water Development Report (WWDR) under an alarming banner headline, “Catastrophic Global Water Crisis Looming Large”, warned that by 2030 that is just in 15 years global water demand would increase by 55 percent resulting in catastrophic consequences. Ghana is already sweating under “Dumsor” for lack of water in Akosombo Dam. Won’t it be in the interest of mankind to pay heed to Pope Francis1?

The writer works with the Information Services Department (ISD), Accra

Email: abissath@gmail.com

Is Ghana losing the battle against Galamsey and its environmental costs to sustainable development of the nation?

By Mawutodzi Kodzo Abissath

How Galamsey contaminates rivers in Ghana

Do you remember that Bible story where the Master Jesus Christ is reported to have asked his apostles in a boat: “Why are you afraid?”  Then he added,  “You men of little faith?” (Matthew 8: 27).

 Ghana appears to be in that storm of socio-economic boat today. Ghanaians seem to be   overwhelmed by seemingly insurmountable challenges. Virtually all segments of our society from teacher cum nurse-trainees, ‘dumsor-celebrities’, Sodom and Gomorra heroes, pharmacists cum doctors etc. – all on warpath for one reason or the other. These kenkey and shiitor matters are so awesome that alarming galamsey activities ravaging our environment and natural resources are receiving little attention.   

Two years ago, precisely on Tuesday, May 14, 2013, at the main auditorium of the Flagstaff House here in Accra, President John Dramani Mahama, inaugurated an Inter-Ministerial Taskforce on Illegal Mining – popularly dubbed ANTI-GALAMSEY TASKFORCE.

Anti-Galamsey Taskforce

This is partly what the President said about the membership of that high-powered Taskforce: (…) “In constituting this Inter-Ministerial Taskforce on illegal small-scale mining, I am sending a clear signal to the offending individuals and groupings that government will not allow their activities to cause conflicts, dislocation, environmental degradation, and unemployment, when in fact, the sector should benefit our communities and help develop Ghana.” The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources was to chair the taskforce, with   Ministers for the Interior, Defence, Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration as well as Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation as other members.

Mandate of Taskforce

“Your task is simple and straight forward. - To actualize my determination to bring sanity into the mining sector, including my pledge to ensure that the small-scale mining sector is reserved for Ghanaians.”  He went on, “Government is not against small-scale mining; what we want is for those who are engaged in small-scale mining to follow the required procedures that govern mining in our country,” said the President.

Specifically, the President charged the taskforce, “To seize all equipment used by those who fail to comply with the new directives of obtaining licenses or renewing their licenses; arrest and prosecute both Ghanaians and non-Ghanaians, involved in small-scale illegal mining; to deport all non-Ghanaians involved in small-scale mining; revoke the licenses of Ghanaians who have sub-leased their concessions to non-Ghanaians against the rules; and also revoke the licenses of Ghanaians who have engaged the services of non-Ghanaian miners in the small-scale mining sector in ways that were contrary for any illegal mining in the country...” ordered the Commander-in-Chief of the Republic.    

If the 1992 Republican Constitution of Ghana mandates the Ghanaian media to hold accountable public office holders on behalf of the people then I think the media has not done badly at all. And that is the essence of this article. This author deliberately quoted verbatim some parts of the President’s address made on that occasion. (The full speech can be accessed on the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation’s website http://gbcghana.com/index.php?id=1.1389360).

Appeal to Government

On Saturday, August 1, 2015, the Daily Graphic carried a story with a screaming banner headline on its back page: “Three Atiwa communities call on government to help curb illegal mining in their areas!” The story was illustrated with two pictures captioned: “The Birim River destroyed by the galamsey operators. INSERT: The Eastern Regional Minister, Mr. Antwi Boasiako Sekyere (right), explaining how the operators have destroyed the land to Nii Osah Mills (left) (Minister for Land and Natural Resources).

Mr. Erasmus Solomon, who filed that story from Atiwa stated that, “Residents of Akwaboaso, Akroful and Awerenare say apart from the daily threats to their lives, the illegal miners have taken over their farmlands and also polluted their sources of drinking water.” Thus, they have appealed to the government to save them from the illegal mining activities in the area. It is this appeal that prompts this author to write this article. It seems to me that if care is not taken, by the time the proposed Eastern Environmental University comes into being the entire Eastern Region of Ghana would have vanished from the face of the earth.  

Well-meaning Ghanaians may want to know whether the Presidential Anti-Galamsey Taskforce is still in existence. If yes, where are they? And are they aware of what is happing at Atiwa and other parts of the country where galamsey is dealing deadly blows to sustainable development of our only begotten country?  The other day, television news showed to the world how galamsey operators are destroying lands and rivers in the Wassa, Ayamfuri and other districts of the Western Region. River Ankobra is deceased. The touristic Lake Bosomtwi in Ashanti Region is being disemboweled. The magnificent savanna landscapes of Upper East Region are at the mercy of galamsey champions.   

Worst of all, galamsey vampires are fast crawling towards the newly constructed Bui Dam to suck its blood. That Dam now hibernating in the Brong Ahafo Region, took Ghana over 40 years on the drawing board. The white and black Volta Rivers are receiving their fair shares of galamsey dosages amidst the ravages of environment and climate change. Why?  Is Ghana losing the battle against galamsey and its environmental costs to sustainable development of our beloved nation?

·      The author works with Information Services Department (ISD), Accra 
Email: abissath@gmail.com

Ghana’s University of Environment and Sustainable Development:  Rescuer of Our Present and Future Generations

By Mawutodzi Kodzo Abissath

 

A Ghanaian proverb admonishes: “If your grandmother gives you a piece of information, you don’t tell her you are going to crosscheck the veracity of it from your mother.” The wisdom of our ancestors in preserving the environment is translated in some taboos that forbid people to enter rivers and forests on certain days of the week. So, you can please yourself if you refer to such ancestors as “primitive”!

  
On Monday, June 1, 2015, a noble Ghanaian wise woman, in the person of Dr Amoako-Nuamah, a former Minister of State and the convener of the Committee for the establishment of the University of Environment and Sustainable Development was the one who presented the report to President John Dramani Mahama at the Flagstaff House here in Accra. Some observers think the establishment of a public university for Sustainable Environmental Studies and Research is long overdue. But as the French will say: Mieux vaut tard que jamais – that is, better late than never!

 Even though this author has no access to the full content of the said report, Dr Amoako-Nuamah was reported to have told the President that: “While the first part of the report concentrated on recommendations for the establishment, the second section concentrated on the requirements that would create a blue print for the institution. She said most of the recommendations were based on Food Security, Climate Change, Agricultural Impact on the Environment and the Engagement of Young Graduates in Job Creation.”

This writer does not want to pretend to be an expert in sustainable development, though.  But having studied Agrarian and Environment Studies (AES) with Sustainable Development as his specialization at the International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) of Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Hague, The Netherlands, he is tempted to commend the Committee that was charged with the responsibility of developing, organizing and supervising the implementation of a programme for the university for good job done.

 The fact that the Committee under the chairmanship of Professor Raymond Bening, a former Vice Chancellor at the University for Development Studies, stated that their recommendations were based on “Food Security, Climate Change, Agricultural Impact on the Environment and the Engagement of Young Graduates in Job Creation,” was an indication that the committee members knew their left from their right. In fact, should I have the opportunity to meet them personally, I would tap them on the shoulder. But I must hasten to politely refresh their memory that ‘when you kill a snake you must cut the head.’ In other words presenting such a magnificent report to the Commander-in-Chief of the Republic is one thing, but seeing to its implementation for the benefit the present and future generations in another.

There is nothing new under the sun, so goes the adage. Before Ghana’s University of Environment and Sustainable Development there were other similar universities globally. For example, the International Institute of Social Studies has been in existence for over 60 years now and is acclaimed to be one of the best development universities in Europe, if not in the world. The courses that that institute runs, especially the Agrarian and Environmental Studies AES which was recently upgraded to Agrarian, Food and Environmental Studies (AFES) is a course that every developing country like Ghana must embrace. Those who will develop the curricula and pedagogy for Ghana’s University must consider comparing notes with the course content of AFES of ISS which is now part of Erasmus University Rotterdam in the Netherlands (www.iss.nl). Some of their course contents include, Land grabbing and Food Security, Political Economy and Ecological Economy, Global Environmental Politics as well as Sustainable Rural Alternative Livelihoods etc. Ghana does not need to reinvent the wheel but must be innovative and look outside the box, so to speak.

Furthermore, I wish to suggest that apart from taking look at the course content of AFES of ISS, it will not be out of place for Ghana’s new University to consider establishing a kind of exchange programme with ISS where some Professors of AFES can be invited to share their rich experiences in the fields of Agrarian and Environment Studies and Research in terms of practical teaching and learning with their Ghanaian counterparts.

When we were studying at ISS, I observed that most of our AFES Professors were always  globe-trotting. Universities in the United States of America, Canada, China and others were always fighting over our Professors in Europe. Why? Their value is beyond compare. In fact, one of our AFES Professors is serving on multiple governing councils of agricultural and environmental related universities in Asia and America. Another one was always ‘hijacked’ by universities and research institutions in Latin America. It appears African Universities are not able to attract such premium professors perhaps due to lack of financial muscles. So, I will suggest that if we want  our  yet to be established university  to produce quality students then our country must be prepared to pay for the services of quality professors as well. These are some of the issues that must engage the attention of our Parliamentarians as they debate the report for parliamentary approval to obtain legitimacy to the establishment of the University.

 On Friday, June 12, 2015, The Ghanaian Times, on its page 12 carried a story headlined: “Eastern University bill generates controversy.’ In the said story, Yaw Kyei reported that, “when the bill was taken through the consideration stage, members of the House were divided over whether the university’s campus should be sited at Somanya or Koforidua.” Ghanaian politicians almost always seem to take delight in jumping at each other’s throat for the sake of argument. Some times when they over do this kind of jaw-jaw gymnastics just to demonstrate who speaks better English langue, they tend to dilute the essence the issue at stake.  

It is my considered view that the location of the university’s main campus whether at Somanya or Koforidua or Donkorkrom should not matter so much. The most important thing is that there is a public university is in the Eastern Region of Ghana. However, if I had the chance to advise the President, I would recommend that the main campus should be sited at Somanya in the name of decentralization.

 Nevertheless, whichever location the experts deem it fit, I am glad that at long last, Ghana, our beloved country has a university that would guarantee sustainable development so that the present generation will be able to take care of their needs without compromising the ability of the future generations to ensure their own survival.

The author works with the Information Services Department (ISD) in Accra.
Email:  abissath@gmail.com