The Strategic Youth Network for Development (SYND), in collaboration with GreenFaith-Ghana, has launched a project to combat climate change and environmental sustainability in Ghana.
The campaign, ‘Keep Oil in the Ground’ is the product of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by both organisations to represent their mutual interest in the advocacy for renewable green energy.
GreenFaith is an international volunteer organization comprising grassroots religious partners serving as advocates for a just transition to a future powered by renewable energy, sustainable job opportunities, and support for communities adversely affected by climate change.
‘Keep Oil in the Ground’ primarily seeks to address oil drilling in Ghana, in response to a report by the World Bank that places Ghana as the 72nd most climate-vulnerable nation in the world.
At a pre-launch multi-religious, multistakeholder workshop held on Friday, October 6 in Accra, participants from various organisations including the Christian Council, Muslim Council, Oilwatch Ghana, Saudi Embassay and others converged to deliberate strategic solutions to address the adverse effects of fossil dependency in Ghana.
The event was geared towards fostering the participation of religious leaders in Ghana’s civil society movement for climate justice.
According to the Global Director of Organizing at Greenfaith, Meryne Warah, “to effect positive change in the area of climate and climate change, we believe faith leaders ought to be involved in the process,”.
“This is because they are able to mobilize masses at addressing issues that affect our climate situation.”
The workshop took the form of an interactive discourse led by the Former Chairman of the Public Interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC), Noble K. Wadzah on the impact of oil drilling on frontline communities.
The deliberation pointed out the need for Ghana to turn its attention towards a cheaper, cleaner, less problematic energy supply – renewable green energy, harvested from the wind, sun, water and earth, instead of oil drilling, partly due to its detrimental effects on the country’s resources.
The participants agreed to serve as national ambassadors for the cause by engaging in public education in their various religious denominations.
Source: Ghana News
