As part of efforts to sanitize and beautify Ghana’s beaches, Zoil Ghana Limited, a subsidiary company of Zoomlion Ghana Limited, has launched a project dubbed Eco Brigade which seeks to meet the above set objective.
Eco Brigade — which is formed on the concept of Dr Nkrumah’s Workers Brigade — aims at offering job opportunities to about 10,000 people from the coastal regions including the Central, Greater Accra, Western and Volta regions.
Ms Sherry Ayittey ready to take off
As a Beach Cleaning and Oil Spill Response Organization, Eco-Brigade will see to the day-to-day cleaning of the beaches along the coastal belts as well as the planting of coconut trees and mangroves.
Launching the project under the theme “Protecting Our Coastal Heritage” at a colourful ceremony at Esiama in the Western Region at the weekend, the Minister for Environment, Science and Technology, Ms Sherry Ayittey, in a keynote address disclosed that the over 10,000 people who will be recruited for the exercise will be trained to ensure that Ghana’s’ beaches are clean to attract both domestic and foreign tourists.
“The project aims to employ ten thousand (10,000) people in the Western, Central, Greater Accra and Volta regions. These employees will not only be engaged in the cleaning and monitoring of our beach fronts but also ensure that we have clean beaches for both local and foreign tourists,” submitted Ms Ayittey.
According to her, this will have positive impacts on the health of Ghanaians who reside along the coastal communities and also help boost tourism. She went on to say that workers of Eco-Brigade will also plant economic tress such as coconut along the coast to support the potential edible oil industry in future, adding that “they will also plant to replenish the depleted mangroves.”
“Eco Brigade’s ten thousand workers will also plant economic trees such as coconut along the coast to support a potential edible oil industry in future,” indicated the Minister.
She was emphatic that such environmentally related job opportunities will not be confined only to the coast, and disclosed that her ministry was actively developing an underwater timber harvesting, processing and marketing project in the Volta Lake.
“With the emerging oil gas industry, I am confident that Eco-Brigade will create more jobs for our coastal dwellers,” Ms Ayittey confidently expressed.
Dr Joe Oteng-Adjei, Minister of Energy, in a brief statement bemoaned the fast pace of deterioration and depletion of Ghana’s beaches. He noted that in the impending oil exploration activities at some of the coastal areas, it was therefore imperative for Ghanaians to brace themselves for tougher environmental challenges in the future.
“With the imminent oil exploration activities at some of the coastal points in this part of the country, we need not be told of the urgent need to brace ourselves up for tougher environmental challenges in the days ahead,” stated the Energy Minister.
Dr Oteng-Adjei commended Zoomlion’s laudable initiative and asserted that …”there is no doubt that oil spill recovery, beach cleaning, and reforestation operations involved in this project will help the realization of the Government agenda of job creation, environmental sanitation and holistic development leading to a better Ghana for all.”
In a welcome address, the Manger of Zoil Ghana Limited, Mr Opoku Manu, expressed the hope that the project will be sustained to ensure the protection of the country’s coastal heritage. He applauded the efforts of President Mills as well as banks such as Barclays, Zenith, Intercontinental, Stanbic, Ecobank and GTBank for their support.
An appreciable number of motor bicycles were also presented by Zoomlion Ghana Limited to Zoil Ghana Limited with the aim of facilitating the operations of workers of Eco Brigade. The function was highly attended by Members of Parliament from both sides of the political divide-NDC and NPP.
BY ATO KEELSON, ESIAMA, W/R