The Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer at MTN Ghana, Adwoa Wiafe, has called for stronger storytelling and strategic communication to drive Africa’s climate resilience and amplify the continent’s voice in global climate conversations.
She stressed that communication in the climate space must not be reduced to information dissemination alone, but should inspire action, counter misinformation, and give prominence to African perspectives that are often sidelined in global debates.
Delivering the keynote address at the Africa Climate Communication Summit 2025 (Virtual Edition), held under the theme “Towards a Climate Resilient Africa through Strategic Communication”, Wiafe said communication must go beyond the mere sharing of information.
“Communication must do more than convey information. It must inspire action, dismantle disinformation, and ensure every voice is heard. In this case, Africa’s voice must be heard,” she emphasized.
Africa on the Frontline of Climate Impacts
Adwoa Wiafe noted that Africa, though responsible for less than four percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, remains one of the regions most vulnerable to climate change.
She pointed to prolonged droughts in the Horn of Africa, devastating floods in West and Central Africa, encroaching deserts in the Sahel, and rising sea levels threatening coastal cities.
Citing the World Meteorological Organization’s 2024 State of the Climate in Africa Report, she highlighted that more than four million people were affected by flooding in West and Central Africa, which displaced families, destroyed farmland, and killed livestock.
Meanwhile, Southern Africa endured its worst drought in two decades, severely affecting Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
“The impacts are already reducing crop productivity, threatening food and water security, and taking a toll on women, children, and indigenous communities,” she said.
Reframing Africa’s Climate Story
Despite these dire realities, Wiafe cautioned against portraying Africa only as a victim of climate change. She argued that the continent’s story must also highlight resilience and innovation.
She cited examples such as drought-resistant crops, agroforestry, smart agriculture, and the blending of indigenous practices like rainwater harvesting with modern technology.
“It is our responsibility to tell both sides of our experience, the positives and the negatives, because in both lie opportunities we can take advantage of,” she added.
The Power of Storytelling
According to her , effective communication must simplify complex science, counter myths, and connect climate issues to people’s everyday lives in a way that moves them to act.
“While data informs, stories inspire. A well-told story can move people to plant a tree, reduce their carbon footprint, or advocate for stronger climate policies,” she said.
She further called for investment in climate journalism so that reporters can translate science into compelling, relatable narratives.
She also urged efforts to bridge information gaps in underserved communities, where the effects of climate change are often most severe.
Role of Media and Content Creators
However, she underscored the central role of journalists, broadcasters, and digital creators in shaping public opinion, holding leaders accountable, and amplifying the voices of vulnerable groups.
She warned that myths and misinformation, such as claims that climate change does not affect Africa or that individual actions make no difference, must be challenged directly.
“Misinformation thrives in the absence of knowledge. By filling that void with evidence-based storytelling that resonates with people, we can dismantle myths and build a culture of understanding and respect for the environment,” she said.
Private Sector’s Responsibility
The Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer also pointed to the private sector as a key player in advancing climate resilience, highlighting MTN Ghana’s sustainability initiatives such as collaborating with policymakers to develop early warning systems, providing affordable digital devices to expand access to climate information, piloting smart agriculture technologies to support food security, and creating employment opportunities for youth through sustainability projects.
“As a Pan-African company, we believe digital communication is the future. Any climate strategy that ignores it is bound to fall short,” she stressed.
A Call to Reframe the Narrative
“Africa must not be seen only as vulnerable to climate change, but as a continent leading in resilience, innovation, and adaptation.
Through authentic storytelling, we can ensure that Africa’s climate story is told in our own voices and in ways that inspire global action.” She therefore urged African communicators to reframe the continent’s climate narrative.
Climate Change Must Be Explained in Simple Terms – Samantha Wuta-Ofei
Women’s Empowerment Strategist Samantha Wuta-Ofei explained climate change in simple, relatable terms, helping ordinary people, especially women in rural communities, understand its impact on their daily lives.
She stressed that climate change is not just a scientific issue but a human one that affects food security, water access, and health.
“Climate change refers to long-term shifts in temperature and weather due to human activities like burning fossil fuels. For a grandmother in a village, this means droughts and floods that destroy crops, longer walks to fetch water, and rising cases of malnutrition, particularly among pregnant women and children,” she explained.
Wuta-Ofei warned that climate change is already disrupting livelihoods across Africa, with women bearing the brunt because of their role in farming, water collection, and family care.
She also highlighted plastic pollution as a growing threat, noting that waste in oceans undermines their ability to absorb carbon dioxide. She urged the adoption of practical solutions such as proper waste disposal, reusable materials, and car-sharing to cut emissions.
“The rainy season no longer comes at the expected time. That is climate change. But small actions from individuals can make a big difference. Africans must take ownership of the narrative and contribute to solutions,” she said.
She concluded by encouraging communicators and leaders to use everyday stories, not jargon, to engage communities.
Dr. Amma Gyimah: Africans Live the Daily Reality of Climate Change
Climate Communication and Gender Specialist, Dr. Amma Birago Kantanka Gyimah, also highlighted climate change is not abstract to Africans but a lived reality, especially for indigenous communities whose livelihoods depend on farming and natural resources.
She stressed that Africans live and experience the impact daily through droughts, floods, and disrupted livelihoods.
Explaining the difference between climate and weather, she noted: “Weather is what you see outside today, sun, rain, or clouds. Climate is the pattern of such weather studied over decades.”
Dr. Gyimah urged communicators to use relatable examples, likening the earth’s warming to a child’s fever: “When the body overheats, it falls sick. The same is happening to the earth due to human activities like burning fossil fuels and cutting down trees.”
She called for simple, audience-focused communication to make climate science accessible to all, especially children and rural communities.
UNIMAC Students Blending Culture and Science in Climate Change Advocacy
Dr. A. Anani-Bossman, Senior Lecturer at the University of Media, Arts and Communication (UNIMAC), also hinted that the institution is moving beyond theory to equip students with practical skills for climate change communication and advocacy.
He revealed that graduate students are exploring how Ghanaian myths, proverbs, and sacred forests have historically served as informal systems of conservation. Early findings show these cultural tools are weakening with modernity, raising the need to blend science with indigenous knowledge to protect forests and biodiversity.
Dr. Anani-Bossman noted that within two years, UNIMAC will produce graduates capable of shaping policy, leading campaigns, and reporting actively on climate change. He added that the university is also planning capacity-building initiatives for journalists, policymakers, NGOs, and CSOs to strengthen climate communication nationwide.
Benin Policy Analyst Calls for Simplifying Climate Policies for Communities
Policy and Program Analyst from Benin, Sévérin Ekpe, has stressed the need to translate complex climate policies into simple, relatable language that ordinary people can understand and act upon.
Ekpe said policies are often written in technical terms that feel disconnected from communities, even though they address their daily needs.
“As a policy analyst, my role is to find the story behind abstract policy documents and break it down to the lowest level so that communities can see what it means for them,” he explained.
He cited examples where national policies on reducing energy loss or increasing renewable energy can be reframed into practical actions such as saving electricity at home, using solar energy, or producing biogas.
“When explained in relatable terms, communities not only understand policies but also take ownership of them, which helps achieve national goals while improving livelihoods,” Ekpe added.
Summit Outcomes
The Africa Climate Communication Summit 2025 brought together journalists, policymakers, storytellers, and climate advocates from across Africa and beyond, including Benin, Mali, Nigeria, and the United Kingdom.
Participants explored how strategic communication can bridge the gap between science, policy, and lived realities of climate change, positioning Africa not just as a victim of the crisis but as a central driver of solutions.
Source: newsghana.com.gh
