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The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has reminded Ghanaians to strive to uphold Article 41(K) of the 1992 Constitution to mitigate the effects of climate change.

The Article enjoins the people to protect and safeguard the environment and, according to the Commission, adhering to this constitutional provision had become necessary to make the country a better place for the citizenry.

Meteorologists and environmental research scientists have cautioned that the impacts of climate change are beginning to manifest on the entire globe and, particularly, on developing countries that are relatively vulnerable.

Climate change is manifested in Ghana through rising temperatures, declining rainfall totals and increased variability, as well as rising sea levels and high incidence of weather extremes and disasters.

Ms Margaret Konama, the Kumasi Metropolitan Director of the NCCE, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on the occasion of the commemoration of the ‘Constitution Day,’ said adopting climate-responsive and resilient practices was the way to go.

In an attempt to solve the problem of climate change, Ghana signed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) at the Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit in June 1992, after the Convention was adopted in May the same year.

“From what we are already witnessing, the nation is likely to experience relatively harsh dry season in the future if proactive mechanisms were not put in place to reverse the trend,” Ms Konama said and cautioned the people to be extra careful.

“We are calling on farmers and hunters to avoid indiscriminate bush burning, while the people also avoid practices likely to cause fire outbreaks with their attendant negative consequences on lives and property.”

Ms Konoma explained that the nation’s economy relied heavily on climate sensitive sectors; agriculture, energy and forestry.

“Consequently, all and sundry should get on board to protect these resources for sustainable development.”