The University of Environment and Sustainable Development (UESD) in Somanya, in partnership with the Eastern Regional Coordinating Council (ERCC), has organised a competition under the UESD Community Development Challenge 2024 in Koforidua.
The 2024 Challenge is a competition among students in Senior High Schools (SHS) on Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12 related issues.
The SDG 12 seeks to “Ensure sustainable consumption and production,” and the theme for the challenge is “Responsible consumption and production, targeting Sustainable Development Goal 12”.
Four SHS, namely, Ayirebi Senior High School, Akokoaso Senior High Technical School, Asesewa Senior High School and Donkorkrom Agriculture Senior High School participated in the semi-finals of the challenge.
After the debate, two schools emerged as winners and will proceed to the finals on June 19, 2024, at the UESD campus.
Professor Edward Wiafe Debrah, the Pro-Vice Chancellor of UESD, said in a world where the consequences of production and consumption patterns were becoming increasingly evident, it was imperative that “we critically examine and rethink our approaches.”
He said the competition on the topic: “We do not need Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) for E-waste management in a changing Ghanaian society, speak For or Against the motion,” gave students the opportunity to come up with brilliant ideas and innovative solutions aimed at fostering a more sustainable and equitable world.”
Professor Debrah encouraged the students to be mindful that as they engaged in the debate, they did so with the goal not only to win an argument, but to advance their collective understanding and commitment to responsible stewardship of our planet.”
Mr John A. Donkor, the Chief Director at the Eastern Regional Coordinating Council, said the government would continue to support such programmes that empowered young people to take action on sustainable development.
He promised to ensure the provision of the needed resources and mentorship to help students to turn their innovative ideas into reality.
At the end of the semi-finals, Donkorkrom Agric SHS emerged the winner, followed by Ayirebi SHS, while Asesewa SHS came third and Akokoaso Senior High Technical School placed fourth.
The students recommended the introduction of the ‘polluter pays concept,’ which involved making polluters responsible for both paying for their environmental harm and cleaning up the environment.
The other was the concept of resource transition, which involves recycling waste.
