26/04/2026
CLIMATE ALERT: THE SAVANNA IS SCORCHING – A CALL TO ACTION FOR GHANA’S NORTHERN ZONE
By Yussif Abdul-Rauf Bansi
Student, University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR)
Special Correspondent, GHANATODAY TV
BOLGATANGA, UPPER EAST REGION — As a son of the Upper East with deep roots stretching across the savanna, I have spent my life watching the horizon. But lately, the horizon looks different. The familiar rhythm of the seasons—once as reliable as the heartbeat of our ancestors—is faltering. From the bustling streets of Tamale to the vast plains of the Savannah Region and the rocky terrains of the Upper West, North East, and Upper East, our land is under siege by a changing climate.
We are witnessing a "Triple Threat": record-breaking temperatures, dwindling rainfall, and a Harmattan that no longer just blows, but bites.
A Zone in Distress
The data reflects what every farmer from Wa to Nalerigu already knows: the rains are coming later and leaving sooner. What used to be a steady six-month wet season has become a series of unpredictable, violent bursts followed by long, crop-killing dry spells. Simultaneously, the mercury is rising. Daytime temperatures that once peaked in the mid-30s are now routinely crossing the 40°C mark, baking the soil into a hard, impenetrable crust.
The Harmattan, once a seasonal guest, has grown more intense. The dust plumes are thicker, the air is drier, and the duration is longer, accelerating the southward creep of the Sahara Desert. This isn't just "weather"; it is an ecological emergency.
The Self-Inflicted Wound: A Plea to My People
While global factors play a role, we must be honest about our own hand in this crisis. Our traditional practices, once sustainable, are now accelerating our ruin. To the farmers, traditional leaders, and youth across the five northern regions, we must pivot immediately:
1. Protect the Shea and Dawadawa: These are not just trees; they are our "green lungs" and economic lifelines. Every Shea tree cut for charcoal is a blow to our local rainfall cycle. When we strip the vegetation, we strip the land of its ability to breathe and cool itself.
2. End the Scourge of Bush Burning: The annual ritual of setting the bush on fire must stop. It destroys the organic matter in the soil, kills beneficial microorganisms, and releases massive amounts of heat and carbon, further thickening the Harmattan haze.
3. The Agroforestry Mandate: We must move beyond monocropping. I urge every household to embrace home gardening integrated with agroforestry. Plant fruit trees alongside your crops; let the trees provide shade, retain moisture, and offer a secondary source of food and income.
The Path Forward
We cannot wait for global summits to save us. The University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) and other institutions are providing the science, but the ex*****on lies in our hands. We must embark on a massive, community-led tree-planting drive. A tree planted today in Damongo or Bolgatanga is a cooling mechanism for tomorrow.
The Northern Zone is the breadbasket of Ghana. If the rains fail here, the entire nation goes hungry. If the heat becomes unbearable here, our culture and way of life disappear.
Let us honor our roots by protecting the soil that feeds us. Stop the cutting. Stop the burning. Start the planting. Our survival depends on it.
GHANATODAY TV | Reporting for the Future of Ghana.