Mr Speaker, thank you very much.
I beg to speak in support of the Statement made by our Colleague Hon Member of Parliament from Effutu.
Mr Speaker, I would also want to say that I send my condolences to the good people of Winneba on this occasion.
However, with all of these things happening, the clear indication is that the sign is telling us that something is happening, which is called “climate change”. If you talk about rainstorms, and the Hon Member spoke of an unusual rainstorm that hit Winneba, all of these are indications that climate change is real and it is affecting us.
Indeed, our Hon Colleague from Ahanta West speaks of the receding coastline and the sea virtually taking over
the towns. Again, this is a very clear indication that climate change is bringing —The changing patterns of the sea are all indications that climate change is real and it is beginning to affect us. It is not a phenomenon that happens somewhere, it is a phenomenon that is confronting us. The imperative is that I think the time has come for Government to take science and technology as a solution to the problems of this country, from the backburner to the frontburner.
Mr Speaker, we speak of force majeure, act of God, but I would want to place on record that very many of the things that we describe as act of God have come up because the act of man has been so irregular. We are always talking about the way we dispose of plastics and we are talking about all the other things that all of us as human beings do and it is these things that we do that have an effect, ultimately, on the environment and bring up all of these things.
Mr Speaker, I would want to say that in the light of all of these things that are happening, it is important that we begin, as I have said, to consider that the solutions to all of these things is not just asking, for instance, the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) to go and do something about them -- they are temporary.
We must begin to ask the question, why are these things happening? And if we begin to find solutions to these, I would want to believe that in the long- term, we would reduce the impact of climate change on all of these things and we would live a better life.
The second thing I would want to associate myself with in this Statement, is that, we must begin to encourage
insurance. Mr Speaker, it is not possible for Government to meet every need that comes. Recently, there was this unfortunate incident in Kantamanto and it keeps happening. If it is not in Kumasi Central Market, it is in Kantamanto, if it is not in Kantamanto; it would be in Agblogbloshie and nobody knows where it is going to happen next. May it not come.
The reality is that, Government would not be able at every point in time to give handouts to all of us. I would want to believe that for instance, if one's outboard motor gets carried away, it might cost you GH¢8,000.00 or GH¢9,000.00. It is impossible for Government, at every point in time, when all the outboard motors are carried away, to replace them.
I would want to believe that if we would begin to encourage a culture of our people taking insurance, it might take all or some -- These days, I hear there are issues about micro-insurance. If we would begin to encourage, educate and lead, so that the very ordinary people would begin to have insurance, when such disasters strike, there would be a fall-back position.
I believe that as a people, we would be able to find the way to do this and the severe impact of these unfortunate events would be mitigated.
On this note, I would want to thank you once again and congratulate the Hon Member who made the Statement for a Statement well made.
