SYND, GreenFaith to Champion “Keep Oil In the Grounds” Project in Ghana

 

 

Story by: Ishmael Barfi

 

 

Building on series of meetings and engagements of Faith leaders in Ghana to use their influence to push for faster universal access to renewable energy while also preaching the abolition of deforestation, Strategic Youth Network for Development. (SYND) and an international volunteer organization, Green Faith has launched its Ghana’s Chapter to fast track this agenda.

The agenda is to empower faith leaders to use their influence, pulpits, sermons to combat climate change and environmental sustainability in Ghana hence propagating the use of renewable energy.

In the year 2022, Strategic Youth Network for Development-Ghana organized series of engagements and roundtable discussions for faith leaders and other stakeholders across the country.

The numerous engagements and roundtable discussions saw stakeholders calling for increased awareness and the halting of new fossil fuel projects in Africa.

And the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Strategic Youth Network for Development-Ghana and Green Faith International on Friday,  6^th October, 2023 in Accra, the capital city of Ghana is a testament of SYND and GreenFaith commitments towards the involvement of faith leaders in ensuring the campaign “Keep Oil In the Grounds” started in 2022 continues to preach the ‘gospel’ of renewable energy, therefore championing climate justice.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by both organisations represent their mutual interest in the advocacy for renewable green energy.

GreenFaith comprises grassroots religious partners serving as advocates for a just transition to a future powered by renewable energy, sustainable job opportunities, and support for communities adversely affected by climate change.

‘Keep Oil in the Ground’ primarily seeks to address oil drilling in Ghana, in response to a report by the World Bank that places Ghana as the 72^nd most climate-vulnerable nation in the world.

The MOU signing and multi-religious, multi-stakeholder workshop brought together representatives from various organizations including the Christian Council, Muslim Council, and Oil Watch Ghana to deliberate strategic solutions to address the adverse effects of fossil dependency in Ghana.

Speaking after the signing ceremony,  the Global Coordinator at GreenFaith, Meryne Warah, was of the view that, to effect positive change in the area of climate and climate change, there is the need for faith leaders to be involved in the process.

This she said is as a result if their ability to mobilize masses to address issues that affect the climate situation in the communities.

According to her, getting faith leaders involved in the campaign is not a misplaced priority because religious faith leaders will ensure moral values in conversations as well as make sure that justice is received.

“They are usually the first respondents when calamities occur. You’ll find a community that has been hard hit by floods will always run to a church that is next to them, to a mosque that is next to them, and because of the compassion and the role of faith leaders they will take these people in, but they do not have the technical skills to continue conversations around how best they can make sure this does not happen, hence Greenfaith Ghana existence.

Throwing more light on the campaign, Meryne Warah indicated that, it is against fossil fuel infrastructure and its related financing but championing just transition renewable energy for the betterment of the community.

“We’re trying to say we need to make sure that the Government of Ghana keeps oil in the ground. If we want to development for our communities, then oil is not the best way to go”. She reiterated.

To her, “natural capital in Africa and especially Ghana is beautiful because we’ve got lots of sun of sun. We’ve got lots of water. And so we can always invest in renewable energy from the natural capital. Fossil fuel degrades our environment, fossil fuel increases the greenhouse gas emissions”.

Citing some of the effects of fossil fuel projects in communities, the Global Coordinator at GreenFaith, Meryne Warah  pointed out that, lands are becoming very susceptible to drought, flood, which in essence does not make it even okay for communities to have enough harvest hence food that they can eat.

In that regard, “what we’re saying is that governments, like the Government of Ghana or policymakers should look into policies that get into renewable energy, which will not affect the environment, which will not displace communities from their homes, which will make it possible for people to continue with their agricultural practices that also give us renewable revenue and give us food so that at the end of the day, we are not food poor. At the end of the day, we’re not energy poor, because fossil fuel makes energy very expensive”.

The cost of having an oil project in Ghana she noted will be at the expense of increasing tax for the people of Ghana, because there won’t be enough finances to support projects on oil.

“These funds will be borrowed and this will make the country to be indebt more hence increase the taxes for the citizens as a way of raising revenue to settle these numerous debts”.

And to curtail this menace, renewable energy she noted is the surest way because it is going to give green jobs especially to the youth as opposed to fossil fuel because “we don’t even have the technical skills yet in Africa to handle fossil fuel projects”.

The workshop took the form of an interactive discourse led by the Former Chairman of the Public Interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC), Noble K. Wadzah on the impact of oil drilling on frontline communities.

The participants agreed to serve as national ambassadors for the cause by engaging in public education in their various religious denominations.

GreenFaith has been in existence for the past 20 years in different regions namely Latin America, North America, Europe and Africa.

Africa consists of Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Nigeria. DRC Congo, Sierra Leone, the Gambia, and Ghana.

Source: www.thenewindependentonline.com