The Executive Director of WACAM, Mr. Daniel Owusu Koranteng has expressed disappointment at the failure of presidential candidates to include in their political campaign messages or manifestos the numerous environmental problems that have bedeviled the country.

According to him with barely four months to the general elections none of the political parties has included issues of the environment as part of their vision although the environment is an issue that deserves a critical national attention.

According to him, reports indicate that by 2025 Ghana will become one of the countries in the world to face water scarcity of 1700 cubic meters or less per person annually; the need for future governments to show enough commitment to prevent such a disaster from occurring.

Speaking in an interview in Accra, the Executive Director urged all the presidential candidates to demonstrate to the electorate how best they will deal with the numerous problems of sanitation, depletion of forest reserves, and environmental pollution among others when given the mandate to rule the nation.

Mr. Koranteng said his organization appreciates the fact that the environment is made up of human beings, animals, plants, rivers and it is not just for leaders to consider the well being of the human beings to the detriment of other equally important species.

According to him some of the critical environmental issues confronting the country include the depletion of the nation's forest reserves and the pollution and destruction of water bodies across the country.

"It is estimated that Ghana is depleting its remaining forest cover at a rate of 62,000 hectares per annum and the annual forest depletion is quantified to be 3% of GDP," he added.

Touching on the water situation he said although Ghana is endowed with abundant water resources, fresh water is becoming increasingly unavailable, thus compelling many people to depend on mineral water with the attendant problem of dealing with plastic waste.

He said little wonder that many communities across the country are currently battling with water problems which have compelled the government to inject huge sums of money into the water sector.

According to him individuals and corporate bodies have engaged in activities that has polluted and destroyed many water bodies some of which include the activities of mining companies that has destroyed many water bodies within their regions of operations.

He highlighted that independent investigations conducted by them and other agencies shows that the activities of mining has destroyed five streams in Dumase, ten in Sanso and also streams in communities such as Teberebie, Dokyiwa etc, all mining communities.

Mr. Owusu Koranteng said that lack of concern by governmental agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) led to the pollution of the Fosu Lagoon at Cape-Coast which hitherto was a source of water provision and source of livelihood for the people in that area.

"As a nation we have exhibited fundamentalism in our bid to attract foreign investment to the detriment of our environmental concerns to the extent that permission government has permitted mining companies to mine in our forest reserves," he said.

Sighting examples he said that Chirano Gold mine is currently mining in the Tano Suraw forest reserve whilst information indicates that Newmont Gold Ghana limited is doing everything possible to mine in the Ajenua Bepo forest reserve, which could leave a pit of 2.5 km long, 0.9 km wide and 0.5 km deep.

"Ghana cannot have sustainable development if we allow the plundering of our natural wealth in a manner that portrays us as bad stewards of the environment, he said.

According to him economic gains at the expense of the environment and other social considerations cannot result in sustainable development.

He therefore called on the electorates to ensure that the various presidential candidates and their parties show a level of commitment towards the protection of the environment.