He said the WSWD which was commemorated to give recognition and to raise awareness on the effects of social work was not experienced at the national level and that practice ought to change.   “The world and for that matter our nation Ghana is face with numerous challenges like, ethnic  and religious conflicts, wars, environment degradation, air pollution, suicides, poverty and the like.

 “These problems call for passionate, holistic and professional approach for their solution or amelioration and social work profession is a force to reckon with in the fight against these problems,” he said.  Mr Benjamin A. Otoo, the Acting Director of the Department of Social Welfare, who spoke on the theme: “Promoting Community and Environmental Sustainability” called on

Social Workers (SW) in Ghana to protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems.  He also called on SW to sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and stop biodiversity loss.

He said this should form an integral part of our social work considerations in our diverse work as Social Workers.   Mr Otoo observed that environmental management was a collective effort and with the basic understanding of how to minimize the impacts through the various social work methods could result in lasting environmental benefits for citizenry.

“Let us all endeavour to promote environmental and community sustainability in order to safeguard our nation,” he urged.   According to Mr Otoo, natural resources depletion and the adverse impact of environmental degradation and climate change indeed were undermining the ability of countries including Ghana’s quest to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal 13.

“The development of our people and the nation can only take place in harmony with the environment,” he said. Mr Otoo, therefore, appealed to all SW in and outside the country to do more towards promoting their environments and communities, adding that “Sustainability in your professional interaction with your clients, individuals, families and communities will save us all.”

Dr Mrs Mavis Dako Gyeke, the Head, Department of Social Work, University of Ghana, urged SW to expand and address environmental issues.  The programme which was organised by the Ghana Association of Social Workers (GASOW) in collaboration with the Department of Social Welfare was sponsored by Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection and United States Agency for International Development.

As part of activities making the day, website for GASOW was launched with gasow.blueintelli.com being the address. The day brought together students and social workers as well as other resource persons to engage, discuss and share knowledge extensively on welfare as well as their profession in general.

WSWD which was initiated by the International Federation of Social Workers is celebrated worldwide each year on the third Tuesday of every March.   In Ghana the day was marked with series of presentations by the social work academia and practitioners to highlight the applications of social work methods and tools in the national quest for community and environmental sustainability among others.