Question

QUESTION 1: CASE STUDY
Title: Major Threatening Environmental Problems in Ghanaian Society
In November 2016, the Centre for Environmental Research and Policy Analysis (CERPA) published its findings
of the Ghana Environmental Concern Meter (GECM), an annual public perception report on environmental
protection performance in Ghana. The report revealed that poor sanitation, river body pollution, forest
degradation and land degradation are the four most significant environmental problems in the Ghanaian society.
The study sampled of 837 residents across 6 regions, whose population represents 68.9 per cent of the Ghanaian
population. This study reported that poor sanitation and river body pollutions directly affect 69 per cent and 41
per cent of the Ghanaian public respectively.
On poor sanitation, the study found the Greater Accra region to be the most affected, where more than 90 per
cent of residents are directly affected by its negative consequences. Again, the study reported that over 50 per
cent of residents in the Ashanti region, Northern region, Upper West region, and the Western region are also
directly affected by poor sanitation. The Environmental Health and Sanitation Directorate (EHSD) of the
Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources, poor sanitation cost Ghana $290 million every year. This cost is
incurred as a result of poor sanitation delivery arising from time spent on accessing water and sanitation
facilities, deaths due to poor sanitation, exposure to preventable diseases, among others. The EHSD report that
in 2014 alone, preventable diseases, including diarrhoea, killed over 4,500 children in Ghana, while cholera
killed 247.
In the Eastern region where illegal mining (galamsey) has become rampant in recent times, river body pollution
was found to be the most threatening environmental problem affecting nearly 75 per cent of the residents. River
body pollution again was found to be a major threatening environmental problem in the Ashanti and Western
regions where approximately 50 per cent of the residents were reported to be directly affected. Other
environmental problems reported to significantly affect the lives of the Ghanaian people include climate change,
floods, bush fire, extreme drought, air and noise pollution. Poor spatial planning, the use of dangerous pesticides
and herbicides, and loss of common and native biological species were also reported by the study as being
environmental problems of public concern.
Experts have recommended that the decentralization of environmental policies and programs to the regional and
district levels to be the most effective way to address these environmental problems. This recommendation,
according to the study is based on the fact that the environmental problems which affect the public are not
universal in nature. Regions are faced with different environmental problems at various magnitudes and as a
result have different priorities as to which environmental problem should receive public investment and supportIn addition, investing in green businesses, expansive and inclusive public environmental education, and smart
reclamation of polluted rivers bodies as well as protection of all river bodies in the country were reported by the
study as essential requirements to address these environmental problems which affect the Ghanaian people.
REQUIRED:
i. Identify and explain the negative consequences of any two (2) major causes of poor sanitation in the
Ghanaian society.
ii. Identify and explain the negative consequences of any two (2) major causes of river body pollution in
Ghanaian society.
iii. With your knowledge in pollution management, discuss any three (3) of the four most significant
environmental problems threatening environmental sustainability published by the Centre for
Environmental Research and Policy Analysis (CERPA).

QUESTION 2: APPLICATION QUESTION
a. Ghana’s extractive sector is said to have made significant contribution to its economic growth and social
development since independence. However, the devastating impact to natural environmental resources like
forests, farmlands and water bodies have proven to be negative. Discuss any three (3) activities and effects
of gold mining on the environment in Ghana.
b. Recommend any five (5) ways to manage or reduce those impacts.

QUESTION 3: ESSAY QUESTION
Using relevant examples in Ghana, discuss any three (3) major reasons why both private and public
organisations must incorporate environmental concerns into their operations in order generate value and gain
competitive advantage for their firms.

Answer 1

REQUIRED:

1. Identify and explain the negative consequences of any two (2) major causes of poor sanitation in the Ghanaian society.

1. Poverty can be considered as one of the causes of poor sanitation and this is not just the poverty of the population or the people but also the government of a country as they don’t have enough funds to ensure a proper and good sanitation for the people of the country. And the poverty of the country leaves the country and its people also in poverty and lack of access to the basic requirements.
2. Inadequate water provision is cause by the lack of proper water supply which would eventually lead to unofficial ways of accessing to water supplies and this water despite of being unhygienic also will be used by the people. This also leads to people spreading various diseases like cholera, diarrhea through this water as they don’t have the arrangement for proper sanitation.

2. Identify and explain the negative consequences of any two (2) major causes of river body pollution in Ghanaian society.

1. Poor governance is one of the causes as there are no proper waste disposal methods or arrangements which are put in action by the country and its government authorities. This has led to disposal of toxic, untreated and other wastes in the river or the water bodies.
2. Illegal mining has also caused the contamination of the river body and this have also resulted in various other calamities also as the environment is being affected.

QUESTION 2: APPLICATION QUESTION

1. Ghana’s extractive sector is said to have made significant contribution to its economic growth and social development since independence. However, the devastating impact to natural environmental resources like forests, farmlands and water bodies has proven to be negative. Discuss any three (3) activities and effects of gold mining on the environment in Ghana.

3 activities that have a negative effect on the environment of Ghana are:

1. Mining this is one of the most famous activities in Ghana which is negatively affecting its environment i.e. its water bodies, vegetation and living of people as mining makes heavy use of the water for processing the extracted ore and this is affecting the water bodies of the country. The waste from the processing of the same is also deposited in these water bodies.
2. Industrial Waste disposal which is also deposited into these already contaminated and depleted water resources is another activity that negatively effects the Ghana environment.
3. Deforestation is also another activity which is negatively affecting the environment of Ghana.

        Coming to the effects of gold mining in Ghana are as told before the polluting of water bodies and the loss of vegetation and thereby the place for living of the local people at the lower level. And the air and noise pollution which is generally caused by running the machines used for mining.

2. Recommend any five (5) ways to manage or reduce those impacts.

1. Proper association is too formed between the mining companies and the governmental authorities. This would help in regulating the mining activities to a healthy extent.
2. There should be proper guidelines issued by the Government with respect to the mining activities, disposal of waste in to the water by industrialists and also the deforestation.
3. People of Ghana should be given proper education regarding the negative effects of these activities and how they are supposed to react or take an action when they come across such activities which will put their existence into question.
4. Provision for alternate water sources for human consumption should be arranged by the Government in connection with other NGO’s and associations.
5. People should also be educated regarding the health hazards associated with using contaminated water and how all this would even lead to chronic illness, cancer and the.

QUESTION 3: ESSAY QUESTION
Using relevant examples in Ghana, discuss any three (3) major reasons why both private and public organizations must incorporate environmental concerns into their operations in order generate value and gain competitive advantage for their firms.

3 major reasons would be as follows:

1. On the go as people and the Ghanaian Government get aware about negative effects of the different activities on the environment of the country, these companies would be able to win over more customers when compared to other players in the same market.
2. The activities they undertake in order to provide the under developed country an improved economy and environment would also get them recognized in the international market which would also help them win more investments from around the globe.
3. Eventually this deterioration in the environment and life of the people of the country would eventually be affecting the existence and life of their company and the resources available to them also. So understanding the same and working for the same would be recommended.