Friends of Nation (FON), a civil society organisation, has piloted a series of green climate solutions in three districts of the Western Region to strengthen the capacity of local governments and communities in gender-responsive climate resilience, energy transition and environmental justice.
The initiative, implemented in Ellembelle, Jomoro and Nzema East, includes the installation of polycarbonate roofing at Essiama Basic School, the construction of a wire mesh fence for a fish pond in Ellembelle, and the development of a climate education resource guide in Shama.
As part of the project, FON last Thursday organised a stakeholder dialogue in Takoradi to showcase its achievements and solicit expert input from planners, engineers and other stakeholders on sustaining the gains made.
Addressing participants, the Programmes Coordinator of FON, Mr Solomon Kusi Ampofo, said the installation of polycarbonate roofing sheets at Essiama Basic School in December 2025 had transformed the classrooms.
He explained that the new roofing provided a well-lit, water-tight and climate-smart learning environment.
Mr Ampofo noted that many basic schools in Ellembelle previously had poor roofing, often made of old aluminium sheets and weak wooden frames, which allowed rainwater to leak into classrooms.
He said the situation affected teaching and learning, as students struggled to concentrate, while schools incurred high electricity costs to compensate for poor lighting.
According to him, the introduction of weather-proof polycarbonate roofing had eliminated leakages and provided a durable and long-lasting alternative to aluminium sheets, thereby reducing maintenance costs over time.
He, however, indicated that the initial use of too many polycarbonate sheets led to excessive heat in classrooms during the day.
He, therefore, recommended a combination of polycarbonate and standard roofing sheets to achieve optimal results.
Mr Ampofo described the intervention as climate-smart, stating that it reduced energy consumption and supported Ghana’s commitment to green school infrastructure.
He added that Ellembelle, Jomoro and Nzema East districts had formally expressed interest in adopting the model, describing it as a practical and proven solution to improving learning conditions.
On the fish pond fencing project in Ellembelle, Mr Ampofo noted that it provided a low-cost livelihood support system, particularly for women engaged in fish farming.
He explained that during the rainy season, flooding often destroyed fish ponds, leading to significant losses for farmers.
Mr Ampofo said although the farmers had contributed little to climate change, they continued to suffer its effects.
He explained that the introduction of affordable wire mesh fencing had prevented fish losses, with beneficiaries recording zero losses during the pilot phase.
For his part, the Project Officer of FON, Mr William Augustine-Derkyi, said the initiative sought to promote peer learning and showcase practical, gender-responsive and climate-resilient solutions.
He mentioned solar energy systems, greenhouse school farms, climate-friendly sanitation facilities and polycarbonate roofing as some of the scalable interventions under the project.
FROM CLEMENT ADZEI BOYE, TAKORADI
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