SYND- Engages Media personal
The Strategic Youth Network for Development(SYND) held its National Pre- capacity building for Media personal in Accra.
The capacity building for Media personal on “NO GO POLICY” was held at Miklin Hotel in Accra, urged the institutions to adopt and implement principles of the Banks and Biodiversity ‘No Go’ policy.
The (SYND) Ghana has engaged Journalists in a training workshop on the need for media houses to report stories related to bank investments that negatively affect our environment, particularly biodiversity.
The banks and biodiversity no go policy is an active campaign plan in partnership with Friends of the Earth (FoE) US aimed at creating public awareness while engaging banks in Ghana (through the Bank of Ghana) and key state and non-state actors on the need for banks to adopt the policy.
Ms. Gifty Agbenyefia said, the “No Go’ policy” a Banks and Biodiversity Initiative aims to hold banks accountable for their impacts on biodiversity, and critical ecosystems, and advocates that banks adopt the proposed policy.
The policy explains that financial institutions play a natural role in “screening out” high risk, low quality investment proposals, therefore, financial flow should be limited in or near sensitive or inherently controversial areas.
According to Ms. Gifty Agbenyefia said, A biodiversity that, in spite of the significant role banks play in financing these sectors and activities, many financial institutions are yet to develop robust policies or practices to address the biodiversity impacts of their lending.
Banks provide the funds, which can enable both good and bad projects. It is high time they take responsibility for any potential, negative impacts to biodiversity and critical ecosystems.”
Some of the participants also suggested that “Banks financing policy for projects or programmes may have dire consequences on the sustainability of the ecosystem.
Some of these impacts are already being felt as a result of ill- conceived infrastructure development fossil fuel energy development & utilization, extractive industries activities, and improper land use changes.
She said, that’s why civil society groups, academics, and people’s groups all across the world are calling on banks to adopt a No Go policy to categorically, prohibit any direct or indirect financing related to unsustainable, extractive industrial, environmentally, and/or socially harmful activities, she said.
Story by Fada Amakye from Daily Sun106.com
