The Project Coordinating Unit (PCU) of the Ghana Environmental Conventions Coordinating Authority (GECCA) has developed software to link-up agencies and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) working on environment related issues.

The software, called dBase Manager, is to help to ensure effective implementation of projects under the Rio Conventions, which cover the areas of climate change, bio-diversity and environmental degradation. Consequently, the PCU of GECCA, which operates under the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology, organised a day’s workshop in Tamale in the Northern Region, to enhance the capacity of stakeholders, especially civil society groups in the northern part of the country, on database management, yesterday.

The workshop was also to create opportunity for the PCU to collate data on activities related to the Rio Conventions.

A component of the GECCA project relates to access to and sharing of data and information among stakeholders on activities and programmes directly or indirectly related to Rio Conventions through the establishment of database and capacity building on database management.

Speaking at the workshop, Dr Raymond Babanawo, technical assistant at the Ministry, called on environment related NGOs and stakeholders to embrace the system to prevent duplication of work.

He said due to the down-turn of European and American economies, most donor agencies are considering cutting down sponsorship for projects in developing countries.

Dr Babanawo said this called for harmonization of activities to reduce cost, to ensure good results and value for money to the benefit of the people.

Source:http://www.ghana.gov.gh/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=9343:software-developed-to-harmonise-implementation-of-rio-convention&catid=28:general-news&Itemid=162