Ways to Use our Resources Efficiently

Natural resources bring a lot of benefits to the individual and the country. Our natural resources are not used efficiently due to several problems such as low level of training, lack of managerial skills etc. These make them go waste.

There are some ways that we can use our resources efficiently, they are:

i. Proper implementation of conservation methods

Conservation is the proper use of something. Our natural resources such as trees are not well-used. Some people practice deforestation and this has affected our forest and rainfall.

We must practice afforestation and other ways of conserving our natural resources.

ii. Adding value to our resources

Most of the resources in Ghana are exported as raw materials. This affects their prices. For example, cocoa are exported at low prices to other countries. These countries add value to the cocoa by processing them into other products such as chocolates etc. We import these products at high prices.

We must start processing our resources into finished or semi-finished products in order to add value to them.

iii. Using appropriate tools

The right tools must be used to exploit our resources. For example, the works of galamsey operators must be discouraged. These operators do not use the appropriate tools and also do not follow the right procedures. They destroy our water bodies and this deprives some people the access to portable water.

iv. Ensuring proper maintenance of machines

The servicing and maintenance of machines that are used for our resource exploitation must be practiced. We must always care for our machines because machines in good conditions increase productivity and this prevents resource waste. The machines used must be maintained regularly, washed and cleaned etc.

v. Training of human resources

Human resource must be trained in order to develop their skills to exploit our natural resource efficiently. This is the major cause of wasteful exploitation of our natural resources. Ghana is endowed with a lot of natural resources but we lack trained and skilled people to exploit these natural resources. This has given some foreigners the opportunity to exploit our natural resources, they have established companies in the country whose duties are for natural resource exploitation. Some of these companies export the natural resources but others process them in the country and sell to us.

vi. Using appropriate methods in resource exploitation

Some people who exploit our resources do not use the appropriate methods. Some of these are due to lack of training and sometimes due to their personal interest. For example, some fishermen use poisonous chemicals in fishing. These chemicals are dangerous to human health but these farmers do it in order to catch more fish.

Some of these fishermen also use lights during fishing. This practice affects fishing negatively.

vii. Provision of efficient supervision

Organisations must be set-up to monitor the behaviours of people who exploit our natural resources. These groups must have rules to check the behaviours of people. Those who go against them must be punished. This will help put them in check.