The ban on hunting can help reduce bushfires – GNFS

General News of Sunday, August 4, 2019

Source: Graphic.com.gh

2019-08-04

The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) welcomed the announcement by the Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission (CF) on Tuesday to impose a temporary ban on hunting.

Semakor Kwaku Fiadzo, deputy fire chief in charge of rural fires, said hunting was a major cause of bush fires in rural areas, especially during the dry season.

He added that "in the approach of the dry season, this ban, if applied, can help reduce the bush fires badociated with hunting.

Mr. Fiadzo said that when he addressed reporters at the end of a planning committee meeting of the national campaign against bush fire that took place in 2019/2020. 39, is held in Accra last Thursday.

The annual ban on the hunting, capture and destruction of wildlife came into effect yesterday, August 1, 2019, and is expected to be lifted on December 1, 2019.

Also known as the "close season", this five-month ban is consistent with the Wildlife Conservation Regulations, 1971, L.I. 685, guide the conservation of wildlife in the country.

"The ban is acceptable because most bush fires are the result of bush hunting or palm wine harvesting.

"Hunters sometimes light fires intentionally to trap animals. We will enter the dry season very soon and the imposition and enforcement of the ban will help reduce bush fires, "Fiadzo said.

National campaign against fire of the bush

Fiadzo, chair of the committee running the 2019/2020 bushfire campaign, said preparations for the launch of the annual campaign were under way.

He said that the meeting, held in camera, deliberated on the date, location, budget, sources of funding and tools needed for the campaign.

DCFO Fiadzo said that although the committee decided to launch the bush fire campaign in October this year, it still had not decided on a specific venue to host the event.

On the issue of funding, he said that a subcommittee had been set up to prepare a budget and propose ways for the committee to mobilize the necessary funds to undertake the campaign.

Train volunteers

Fiadzo said the campaign would aim to train 20,000 firefighting volunteers to support GNFS efforts to reduce bush fires by 60 percent.

He appealed to the companies to provide funding to the committee as it intends to launch a dynamic campaign across the country this year.

"Fire fighting is a shared responsibility. We need other institutions, including the media, to help support the campaign in the interest of protecting the lives and property and preserving the country's resources, "he said. declared.