A two-day stakeholder consultation seeking to integrate into local government structures, science and management issues identified in the coastal zone of the country opened in Accra on Thursday

Participants drawn from over 30 institutions including public, private, Non-Governmental Organisations and government regulatory institutions are expected to review and update issues in the "Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan for Ghana" drawn ten years ago.

The participants would also explore appropriate governance mechanisms for the coastal zone as well as identify coastal zone planning and implementation hurdles and bottlenecks at the district level, among others.

The Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment is organising the workshop in collaboration with the Interim Guinea Current Commission (IGCC) and the Guinea Current Large Marine Ecosystem Project (GCLME).

Stephen Asamoah Boateng, Sector Minister who opened the workshop, said Ghana's coastal zone occupied only about 6.5 percent of the land area and was yet home to 25 percent of the national population, with over 70 percent of the industries located within the zone.

"This situation basically accounts for the increased stress on the resources of the coastal zone," he said.

Mr Boateng said in the past, efforts were made by technical experts and NGOs to raise the awareness among the coastal population on the need to manage resources of the coastal zone sustainably but very little was achieved practically.

"This sad situation can be attributed to several reasons, including lack of political will, lack of proper appreciation of the issues by stakeholders and sometimes lukewarm attitude of decision makers".

He expressed the hope that by the end of the two days participants would come out with appropriate overriding governance strategy for the coastal zone as well as identify projects and sustainable funding mechanisms provided at national and district levels.

Professor Chidi Ibe, Executive Secretary of the Commission in a speech read for him said under the project, coastal countries in West and Central Africa were being supported to preserve the environment and its resources.

He said the project sought to move from short-term sectoral approach to the adoption of a long-term integrated approach.

Source: GNA