Due of Indiscipline, Ghana is Progressively Approaching water Scarcity. Prof. Frimpong

A visiting professor from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in the United States, Professor Emmanuel Frimpong, has noted that Ghana is progressively approaching a water shortage due to disregard for human behaviour.

News Report that although there used to be plenty of water bodies in the country, he claimed that irresponsibility by some people was gravely harming aquaculture and water quality.

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Prof. Frimpong said, “The average Ghanaian consumes between 25 and 30 kilograms of fish in a year, which has produced a significant demand for fish in the country while there are abundant water resources for fish farming.” There can not be food security without water security.

Prof. Frimpong was speaking on the topic “The Path to Food Security” at a symposium on the theme “Building Food Security on Homegrown Food and Renewable Energy Technologies: The Role of Fisheries and Water Resources” organised by the Department of Fisheries and Water Resources, University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) in Sunyani.

The one-day symposium aimed at provoking discussion on the sustainability of quality water resources as a key component through which food security can be achieved for the attainment of Goal Two of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

It was attended by students of the university, local fish farmers’ association representatives, agricultural and water resources experts, and the Sunyani Office staff of the Fisheries Commission.

Prof. Frimpong therefore called for government, academia, technocrats, and law enforcement agencies to work together to protect and sustain clean water resources for agriculture and aquaculture enhancement.

According to him, Ghana had not been doing well in utilising its resources in producing what the nation consumed, hence the need to have a sustainable way of production to meet the demand of the population and reduce the cost of importation of food items, particularly fish.

Dr. Seyramsarah Setufe, the acting Head, Department of Fisheries and Water Resources, UENR, said the event was to discuss the crucial need for Ghana to ensure protection and sustainability of water resources and the use of renewable energy technologies to improve food production.

She noted Ghana had the potential to produce all it could consume, saying policy formulators must therefore direct their discussions and activities towards the path to greatly improve “homegrown” food for food security and reduce importation.

Dr. Anthony Duah, a research scientist at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), said the government had put in a lot of measures and policies to ensure food security, but the attitude of the citizenry was a challenge.

He therefore emphasised the need for environmental best practices and proper waste and water management systems for enough quality water to produce the needed amount of food in the country.