Teach school children how to test water quality in Ghana – Martin Nijsse

School boy Felix demonstrates the kit testing process

By Nathaniel Y. Yankson

The Institutional Manager of Vitens Evides International, Martin Nijsse has advocated the need for school children to be taught how to test water quality in Ghana so as to inculcate that culture in the next generation.

Water: Life and death issue at Sang

From Patrick Baidoo, Tamale

A number of people at Sang, capital town of Mion District in the Northern Region, have expressed worry about the lack of potable water and very limited access to sanitation.

GMO Test Trials Prove Divisive in Ghana

From Patrick Baidoo, Tamale

A battle over genetically modified organisms (GMOs) is building in Ghana after the government recently completed regulations that could allow modified cowpeas and other selected crops to be grown following confined field trials (CFT).

Online environment, sanitation conference (e-NESCON) launched in Ghana

Source: WasteCare

A web based special National Environmental Sanitation Conference (e-NESCON) was launched in Ghana in December 2013.

'Ministry of Environment is Ghana's weakest ministry’

Dr. Tony Aidoo

Source: Myjoyonline.com

Former Head of the Policy Monitoring and Evaluation Unit at the Presidency, Tony Aidoo has fingered the Ministry of Environment, Science and technology as the weakest ministry in Ghana.

Water for each Ghanaian reduces from 110 barrels to 48 daily

Source: Today

Ghana’s water availability figure of about 40,000 barrels for each person a year in 1960, going by Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) figures, has dwindled to about 10,178 barrels annually in 2013.

Plastic in the ocean is contaminating seafood

Source: Today

We’ve long known that the fish we eat are exposed to toxic chemicals in the rivers, bays and oceans they inhabit. The substance that’s gotten the most attention — because it has shown up at disturbingly high levels in some fish — is mercury.

Washrooms in Accra, a recipe for diseases

By Patrick Baidoo

Have you ever used some of the public washroom facilities in Accra, especially those in Madina, the OSA bus terminal near Tema station and the 37 lorry station?, If yes then I sympathise with you for the experience you had; and if not then I advise that you should never try to do so because they are too dangerous to your health.

REDD+: 3 things to consider so men and women share the benefits

Source: IIED

As developing countries act to protect their forests in return for compensation from industrialised nations, their strategies will affect men and women in different ways. Value chain analysis that links commodities that drive deforestation with gender offers great opportunities to designing REDD+ delivery models that capitalise on advantages of different actors, says Isilda Nhantumbo.

Sustainable development requires an infusion of love

Source: IIED

This New Year is a big one for planet earth. New Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will set our trajectory into an increasingly uncertain future. But country delegations are arguing over the wrong thing – says a paper entitled 'love-infused development'.

Mother-to-child HIV infection down

Source: Myjoyonline.com

Mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Ghana has reduced drastically, according to Reverend John Azumah, a Ghana AIDS Commission HIV Ambassador.

Genetically modified seeds and Ghana the debate

Source: Charles Annor-Frempong Ph.D - Ghana

Ghana is at the cross roads, debating the introduction of genetically modified crops (commonly referred to as GM crops) into the country. Public debates are generally good if conducted in an atmosphere of civility and with the intention of arriving at evidence-based decisions. The ongoing debate on genetically modified crops is not unusual and the literature on the diffusion of innovations is replete with examples of individuals, groups and or organizations rising up against the introduction of new ideas or technologies.

Ghana’s poor sanitation conditions kill children every 15 seconds

A section of invited school children to commemorate 2013 world toilet day

By Nathaniel Y. Yankson

Available statistics suggest that every one gram of human faeces contain ten million viruses with one million bacteria. Hence Ghana’s inability to stamp out open defecation and dispose waste in a proper manner is leading to the death of a child in the country every fifteen seconds.

Ghana needs 118 yrs to meet sanitation MDGS – Report

Source: WaterAid Ghana

The millennium development goals (MDGS) are barely two years to the 2015 deadline but the current national sanitation crisis which is at pegged at a staggering 15 percent as against the 54 percent MDGs benchmark. This means that in order for Ghana to reverse the situation, concerted efforts are needed from all stakeholders, a civil society report has indicated.

Sugary drinks linked to womb cancer

Source: Daily Mail

Soft drinks laden with sugar could raise a woman’s risk of developing womb cancer, claim researchers.

They said those who downed the highest amounts were 78 per cent more likely to suffer from the disease as those who did not.

Eating nuts “may prolong life” – Medicine Journal

Source: BBC

People who regularly eat nuts appear to live longer, according to the largest study of its kind.

How to use law to make foreign investment work for sustainable development

Source: IIED

The International Institute of Environmental Development (IIED) has published a handbook that shows how government officials and civil society organisations in low and middle-income countries can use legal tools to ensure foreign investments contribute to sustainable development.

Technology to produce electricity, water introduced

Source: APO

Schneider Electric, the market leader in energy management with operations in more than 100 countries, has inaugurated the MiCROSOL project aims to develop a single, modular standard technology for producing electricity, drinking water and heat simultaneously, primarily to benefit micro-industries located in rural areas of countries with high levels of sunshine, especially in Africa.

Ghana launches waste segregation project

Waste segregation

Source: GNA

The Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, in collaboration with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Zoomlion, have launched a national waste segregation programme to encourage separation of wastes at source.

Fund to support water, sanitation initiatives in perspective

Source: WSA

The water and sanitation challenges are immense and require the mobilization of more funds, collaboration and mutualisation of best practices.