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Exploring Clean Air Solutions: A Meetup in Koforidua

On the evening of February 17th, 2024, amidst the serene ambiance of the Mint Lounge in Koforidua, Ghana, a diverse group of individuals gathered for an insightful meetup centered around the crucial topic of clean air. With the clock ticking from 6 PM to 9 PM, nine passionate participants engaged in meaningful discussions, sharing their perspectives and brainstorming innovative solutions to tackle air pollution in their community.

The meetup served as a platform for locals to voice their concerns and exchange ideas on how to combat the pressing issue of air pollution, which poses significant threats to public health and the environment in Ghana. Facilitated by environmental enthusiasts and experts, the event aimed to raise awareness, foster collaboration, and inspire actionable initiatives among the attendees.

The evening commenced with an opening address, setting the tone for the discussions ahead. Participants introduced themselves, highlighting their backgrounds, experiences, and motivations for attending the meetup. From concerned citizens to environmental advocates, each individual brought a unique viewpoint to the table, enriching the discourse with diverse insights and perspectives.

As the conversations unfolded, the group delved into the root causes of air pollution in Ghana, identifying key sources such as industrial emissions, vehicular exhaust, biomass burning, and household activities. Participants shared personal anecdotes and observations, illustrating the real-life impacts of poor air quality on their health, livelihoods, and overall well-being.

Amidst the challenges, the meetup also served as a platform to explore potential solutions and initiatives to mitigate air pollution in Koforidua and beyond. Ideas ranged from grassroots community projects to policy advocacy and technological innovations. Participants discussed the importance of raising public awareness, promoting sustainable practices, and advocating for stricter regulations to reduce emissions and improve air quality standards.

One of the highlights of the evening was a lively exchange of success stories and best practices from other regions and countries facing similar environmental challenges. From urban greening initiatives to renewable energy projects, the examples shared served as inspiration for local efforts and sparked new ideas for collaborative ventures in Ghana.

Throughout the meetup, there was a palpable sense of optimism and determination among the participants, fueled by a shared commitment to making a positive impact on their environment. As the discussions drew to a close, attendees expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to connect, learn, and collaborate towards a common goal of cleaner air for all.

In conclusion, the meetup on clean air at the Mint Lounge in Koforidua, Ghana, served as a testament to the power of community engagement and collective action in addressing environmental challenges. By bringing together individuals from diverse backgrounds and perspectives, the event provided a valuable platform for dialogue, collaboration, and advocacy in the ongoing fight against air pollution. As the participants left the venue, they carried with them a renewed sense of purpose and determination to drive positive change in their communities, one breath at a time.

#KofcityKonnect #CleanAirGhana #CleanAir4All #QualityAir

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Chenku Waterfalls, Dodowa

This is the Chenku Waterfalls located in the Dodowa Forest in the Shai Osudoku District of the Greater Accra Region. It is a 3km walk from the main Dodowa Market road to the Chenku Waterfalls. This is a very nice tourist attraction site. The Shai Osudoku District Assembly should help the private owner to do more to make the place more attractive. There is only one directional sign just at the junction on the market road. More directional signs should be erected leading to the place. Also, the owner of the place must train the guides who manage the place. When you get there, they take ¢10gh from you without issuing a receipt. There should also be a shop there where visitors can buy water or some refreshments, enough benches for visitors to sit on and relax and enjoy the beautiful scene. There are a lot of tourist attractions that need to be developed in our various communities. #EcoTourism

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Clean Air For All In 2024

We all entered 2023 with so much hope, determination and strength, but we forgot to ensure that the air that we breath was of good quality and clean. We were inundated with a lot of respiratory related illnesses which could be attributed to the poor air quality in most of our communities due to our actions and inactions on the environment. Another year is here with us. 2024 looks very promising and we are determined to do whatever it takes to improve the air quality in our various communities.

Are we ready and willing to stop the burning of rubbish?

What are we going to do in 2024 to ensure that more education on the importance of clean air is propagated in our communities?

As we champion the cause for clean and quality air, are our children and the young ones also being taken along on this journey?

How do we ensure that those who pollute the air are sanctioned and made to do the right thing?

What can we do to ensure that the Environmental Protection Agency do their work well?

As we start the year 2024, let us all make it our duty and responsibility to ensure that the air in our communities is clean and of good quality.

@CleanAirFund

#CleanAirGhana #CleanAir4All #QualityAir

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Cyn Dove Helping Hands Foundation Dines With The Female Inmates of the Nsawam Maximum Security Prison

On the 24th December, 2023, the Cyn Dove Helping Hands Foundation decided to put smiles on the faces of the female inmates of the Nsawam Maximum Security Prison. This foundation is headed by Cynthia Nana Ama Korkor. I joined them on the trip to the Nsawam Maximum Security Prison. Food and drinks was shared with the female inmates and the joy on their faces was just heavenly. They were very grateful to the foundation for thinking about them. The Prison Officers were also grateful for the time we came to spend with the female prisoners. We will call on all of you in the near future to help us put smiles on the faces of people through the Cyn Dove Helping Hands Foundation. God bless you all. This was a very nice and humbling experience for me as I served the prisoners their food and drinks.

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The Filth at the Madina Lorry Station, Madina, Accra.

This was what I met at the Madina Lorry Station on my way home on 24th December, 2023. The whole station was engulfed in filth. No one seemed to be bothered by the filth. The drivers, station managers, traders, passengers waiting to board their vehicles to their various destinations. This is appalling and very disgraceful. The La Nkwantanang Municipal Assembly should do something about this filth.

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The City Of Accra’s Quest For Clean And Quality Air

Credit: Maame Ekua Acquah (@acquah_maamekua on X) Live Event Illustrator, Creative, Molecular Biologist, Chef
Credit: Maame Ekua Acquah (@acquah_maamekua on X) Live Event Illustrator, Creative, Molecular Biologist, Chef
The Clean Air Fund Team at Barcamp Accra 2023
Attendees of Barcamp Accra 2023

As young change makers and innovators gathered at the Auditorium of the Accra Technical University on 16th December, 2023, for Barcamp Accra, they had several ideas to share and to implement. Topics of discussion such as Financial Literacy, Education, Communication, Artificial Intelligence and others were thoroughly dissected, and practical solutions to some of the social problems were suggested. One pertinent problem was the problem of poor air quality in Accra. This was a cause for concern due to the problems associated with poor air quality. A breakout session on quality air was moderated by the Clean Air Fund Team. The main issue was how to improve the air quality in Accra.

The causes of poor air quality such as vehicle emissions, burning of refuse, lack of trees in the city were discussed. The participants involved in this session came from diverse backgrounds. Practical solutions came from the architectural space, mobility or transport space, Design space and Educational space. For the architectural space it was suggested that there should be spaces for trees and other plants when buildings are being designed. The transport or mobility space also suggested the use of electric vehicles so as to cut down on emissions from fossil fueled vehicles. The educators suggested that there should be more education on the effects of air pollution, cutting down of trees and the indiscriminate cutting down of trees in the schools right from the lower level. It was also suggested that the EPA should be up and doing in their enforcement of environmental protection laws in the city of Accra.

Participants also laid bare the consequences of poor quality air, such as respiratory diseases and the danger poor quality air poses to asthmatics.

At the end of the session, the participants made a commitment to embark on an aggressive tree planting exercise and use other practical solutions to improve the air quality in Accra and other parts of the country.

@CleanAirFund #CleanAirGhana #CleanAir4All #bcaccra23 #bcaccra

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KofCity Konnect Advocates For Clean Air

KofCity Konnect a networking group of young people and change makers in Koforidua, the Eastern Regional capital had a meetup to discuss a pressing issue that affects every Ghanaian. This has to do with the air quality and clean air in Ghana. The participants in this discussion identified problems affecting air quality and clean air such as:

Fumes from cars: This problem can be found in all the urban centers in Ghana where there are a lot of vehicles emitting fumes which pollute the air we breathe.

Burning of Rubbish: This is something that is very common with all the urban centers. Participants cited an example of a huge refuse dump near Akwadum in the New Juaben North Municipality. This refuse dump is used by both the New Juaben North and New Juaben South Municipalities as their dumping ground. These authorities sometimes set fire to the rubbish and the smoke and the stench emanating from the site is unbearable. The communities surrounding this dump site are really suffering.

Open Defecation and Indiscriminate dumping of rubbish: Due to the lack of toilet facilities, most of the people in some parts of the Koforidua township practice open defecation. Some people also resort to dumping of rubbish into the gutters when there is a heavy downpour. All these create a public health hazard for the communities in the Koforidua township.

Dust from factories in the Koforidua township: Some of the factories in the town and surrounding areas generate dust which affect the air quality in the town. The unpaved roads also generate dust which leads to some inhabitants having respiratory illnesses.

Solutions to most of the problems were also suggested. These were:

-The Municipal Assemblies should find better ways of disposing off rubbish and also resort to recycling. -Participants advocated for a public awareness campaign both in the schools and market places to drum home the importance of maintaining clean air in the municipality.

-It was also agreed that the Municipal Assemblies should impose heavy fines on people who dump rubbish into gutters to serve as a deterrent to others.

-Landlords in the municipality should be encouraged to provide places of convenience for their tenants. Any landlord who does not have a toilet facility in his house should be forced to construct one or fined heavily and that fine used to construct one for the house. This is to check the problem of open defecation in the municipality.

-People should also be encouraged to plant more trees to help check de-afforestation and improve on the air quality in the municipality.

The attendees of this important event emphasized the importance of air quality and pledged to champion the above listed solutions. Thus, a municipality with clean and quality air will bring a lot of health benefits and even bring in more people to come and experience the many sights and sounds of Koforidua and its surrounding towns. #CleanAirGhana