Accra, Ghana — Ghanaian musician and Climate Change Ambassador, Okyeame Kwame has called for stronger collaboration between citizens, policymakers, and the media in the fight against climate change.
Speaking at the second cohort of the Developing Youth Ecopreneurs Conference (DYEC), organised by the Eco-Clubs Chapter under Green Africa Youth Organisation (GAYO) in Kumasi, the Ashanti Regional capital, the award-winning artiste stressed the need for sustained political commitment and broader public engagement to address the growing environmental crisis.
According to him, discussions held at international climate conferences such as the Conference of the Parties (COP) must be brought back home and translated into conversations that ordinary citizens can easily understand and engage with.
“Sometimes we attend COP as part of Ghana’s delegation, but when we return, we need to bring the conversation back to the media so everyone can hear and understand it,” he said.
Okyeame Kwame proposed the use of creative arts and entertainment as tools for climate education, suggesting that films, cartoons, and celebrity-led campaigns could help make climate policies more relatable to the public.
“We need to take some of these strategies and policies and turn them into cartoons and movies. Let us support actors, actresses, and filmmakers to create content around climate change so that everybody can get on board,” he noted.
The musician emphasized that while political leaders must lead the transition toward climate action, citizens also have a responsibility to demand accountability and push for meaningful reforms.
“Leadership has a role to play, and citizens also have a role to play. We can demand action; we can march,” he stated.
Reflecting on previous advocacy efforts, he recalled leading a march of nearly 1,000 schoolchildren to Parliament to urge Ghana’s Climate Caucus to adopt more ambitious climate policies ahead of a COP summit.
Okyeame Kwame also highlighted challenges within Ghana’s waste management system, pointing to inconsistencies that discourage environmentally responsible behaviour among citizens.
“Someone may separate waste into organic material, plastics, rubber, and tins, but when the waste collection trucks arrive, everything is mixed together again because the necessary infrastructure is lacking,” he explained.
He called for increased investment in renewable energy and a gradual reduction in the country’s dependence on fossil fuels. “We must become more ambitious and invest in renewable energy so we can gradually reduce our reliance on fossil fuels,” he said.
The climate advocate further expressed concern over illegal mining and environmental degradation, warning that excessive exploitation of natural resources threatens Ghana’s future sustainability.
A vocal campaigner against illegal mining, Okyeame Kwame urged Ghanaians to work collectively to protect the environment and promote sustainable development.
“The conversation is important. Climate action requires all of us — government, citizens, creatives, and young people — working together,” he concluded.
Source: www.climatewatchonline.com
