‘ARTIVIST’ Okyeame Kwame arranged 500 students to march from the Accra Metropolitan Assembly to Parliament on July 21 in order to urge the climate caucus to take a more aggressive stance on climate justice. The student chants during the walk demanded climate justice, a greener Ghana, reforestation, and the sounding of the climate emergency alarm.
Hon. Dr. Emmanuel Marfo, the UN resident coordinator, His Excellency Charles Abani, the mayor of Accra, Hon. Elizabeth Sackey, and a few members of the legislative Climate Caucus met Okyeame Kwame and the entourage at Parliament to welcome them. The hosts unanimously agreed with the proponents that compensation for climate injustice is necessary because we are currently suffering from the worst climate conditions, especially because Africans and indigenous people around the world, who contribute less than 4% of the world’s carbon emissions, must be compensated.
Hon. Dr. Emmanuel Marfo congratulated and praised Okyeame Kwame and the Climate Clock team for tackling this crucial issue and involving future generations by raising their awareness. The climate walk was held to commemorate Climate Emergency Day, which occurs on July 22nd each year.
When Okyeame Kwame was in Parliament, the UN resident coordinator praised him for taking on this crucial role and stated that “his activism must go beyond regional level.”
After the walk, the activists, educators, and students were all refuelled with Ekumfi juice to help the cause.
After the climate walk, a group headed by Okyeame Kwame and his family went to pay a courtesy call on His Excellency, Amer Al Alalawi, the Chargér de Affaires of the UAE Embassy.
Together with Portia Adu Mensah, the lead advocate for Climate Clock Ghana, Nakeeyat Dramani Sam, and a group of reporters, we spoke about youth representation at COP28, which the UAE is hosting in Dubai in November. His Excellency thanked the team for coming and told them that in order for the embassy to collaborate with all NGOs and civil society fighting for action on climate change, they must band together and submit a unified petition. He praised Okyeame Kwame and the group for their compassion.
From July 14 to July 20, the climate clock travelled to Kwabenya Senior High School, St. John’s Grammer High School, the Kaneshie Cluster of Schools, and St. Martin De Porres to speak to more than 1500 kids about the climate emergency and the urgency of taking action right away.
Thus, today, July 22, is the day of the climate emergency. On Facebook and Instagram, Okyeame Kwame will be joined by other climate activists to track the passage of the climate clock to year five.
Later on in the day, the discussion will move to Twitter spaces hosted by Kwame Dadzie, where Twitter users and scientists will converse around the topic of “what can we do to increase our lifeline.”
Dr. Winston Asante, a climate consultant, Dr. Tutu Benefo, the head of the EPA’s climate change division, Bossman Owusu Jr., the country director of Solidaridad, Gan Golan, the organization’s chief strategy officer, Portia Adu Mensah, the lead advocate for climate clock, Michael David, the executive director of GIFSEP, and musician and climate ambassador Okyeame Kwame will be on the panel.
The walk was sponsored by Ekumfi Juice and hosted by the Okyeame Kwame Foundation in collaboration with the Accra Metropolitan Assembly.
Story By: Akwasi Boateng / Ghananewss.com/Ghana
