Renowned musician Okyeame Kwame, real name Kwame Nsiah-Apau, has hit the ground running in his new role as the Climate Change Ambassador for the $5.5 million Ghana Dedicated Grant Mechanism (G-DGM) project.
This morning at the Jubilee Park in Sunyani, the multiple award-winning musician will open the conversation on climate change and the G-DGM project to a gathering of over 400 key stakeholders, made up of chiefs, queen-mothers and focal persons.
He will also debut his first climate change-themed musical composition to the stakeholders who are drawn from 52 communities in the Brong Ahafo (BA) and Western regions.
In attendance at this today’s event will also be representatives from the Forestry Commission, Ministry of Land and Natural Resources, Forestry Investment Programme (FIP), Ministry of Local Government (from the relevant district, municipal and metropolitan assemblies), and non-governmental/community-based organisations.
The Regional Director for Solidaridad West Africa, Isaac Gyamfi, the Country Representative for Solidaridad, Suzan Nyemidi, as well as dignitaries from the BA Regional Coordinating Council will also attend.
Funded by the World Bank, the G-DGM project is a three-year (2017-2020) initiative implemented by Solidaridad West Africa in partnership with FIP and the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF).
The project seeks to strengthen the knowledge and practices of communities for reducing deforestation and improving the sustainable management of their activities.
It will also provide financial support to 52 communities in natural resources management in the Brong Ahafo and Western regions.
Okyeame Kwame, who was unveiled by the implementing agency – Solidaridad West Africa – three weeks ago as the Climate Change Ambassador, has the responsibility to drum home the impact of climate change, and help move the public to take responsible action to fight the global phenomenon.
He will also develop appropriate jingles to educate the public, engage with the media and reach out to school children and communities on land use and climate change.
Okyeame Kwame has described his ambassadorial engagement as a “very honouring and pampering” one because it offers him yet another opportunity to contribute to a good cause.
“For us to develop as a people, everybody, including the media, must develop a positive attitude, and use our abilities and talents to bring attention to what is really needed, for us to grow,” he said.
Story from James Harry Obeng, Sunyani
