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The Minority spokesman for Environment, Science and Technology, Professor Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi, Monday deplored the lack of commitment in dealing with the issue of climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts in the country. He said members of the committee were made to understand that the various sectoral ministries would have statements and budgetary allocations for climate change adaptation and mitigation but that had not reflected in their budget estimates for the 2012 fiscal year. Prof Ameyaw-Akumfi (NPP- Techiman North) lamented over this and questioned the climate change sensitivity of the ministries while contributing to the debate to approve GH¢7,073, 1 07.00 to service the National Development Planning Commission for the 2012 fiscal year. He said there was the need to demand from the Ministry of Roads and Highways what extra resources had been made available for the cost of roads to ensure that the roads being constructed could withstand flood. He said there was the need for the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing to have a statement in their budget estimates on the extra resources being made available for the construction of houses that would stand the vagaries of climate change. Prof Ameyaw-Akumfi's view has been re-echoed in the report of the Committee on Environment, Science and Technology on the budget estimate for the sector ministry for the 2012 fiscal year. The committee acknowledged that climate change was possibly the biggest issue the world had ever faced and must be addressed appropriately, noting that “financial investment is essential to prevent the situation from worsening and to minimise its impact globally. “As a country we can no longer be complacent on funding interventions by the international community providing resources to meet costs of climate change,” the report of the committee said. The committee stressed the need for the ministry to better cost, prioritise and integrate adaptation strategies into its development plans to provide the needed inputs for planning sustainable future. As part of efforts to mitigate the impact of climate change, the report rioted that a draft National Policy and Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Action was prepared for consideration and adoption adding that three consultative meetings had been organised for key stakeholders to enhance their capacity to reduce the impact of climate change. The reports said about 50,000 trees were planted along the coastal zone and savannah regions throughout the country as part of the action plan towards the reduction of climate vulnerability.

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DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.