A new 11-member governing board for the Forestry Commission was yesterday inaugurated in Accra with a charge to members to urgently come up with policies and strategies to restore Ghana’s lost forest cover.
It is chaired by Tetrete Okuamoah Sekyim II, Paramount Chief of the Wassa Amenfi Traditional Area.
Other members of the board include John Allotey, Chief Executive officer of the Forestry Commission; Katakyie Kwasi Bumagama II, a member of the National House of Chiefs; Richard Duah Nsenkyire and George Wireko-Brobby, representatives of the Timber Trade and Industry and Wildlife Trade and Industry respectively.
The rest are Professor Samuel Kingsley Oppong of the Ghana Institute of Professional Foresters; Gustav Alexander Adu, non-governmental organisation involved in forest and wildlife management; Alhaji Daud Sulemana Mahama of the Lands Commission and three nominees of the President, Nana Akosua K. Agyeman-Prempeh, Kenneth Kweku Ofori Amankwah and Mahmoud Hamid Nassir-Deen.
Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, who inaugurated the board in Accra, said, the depletion of the country’s forest reserve through illicit activities such as illegal mining was a threat to Ghana’s existence.
All over the world, he explained that deforestation, climate change, eco-system encroachment, among others, were challenges which, if left unchecked, could negatively impact on the country’s development.
Ghana, which he said, was endowed with 8.2 million hectares of forest in 1900, had now a depleted forest cover, a situation which was an affront to the country’s economic efforts geared towards development.
He stated that although the country was saddled with the threats of illegal mining and poor land administration, issues relating to the forest sector were more consequential.
“The matters relating to the forest cover of our country are one of the most consequential matters in our contemporary existence as a country. Matters to do with forestry, matters to do with climate change, matters to do with the eco-system and all that.
These are the big ticket issues of the world today. They are as important as our economic effort to develop our national economy. We are told that in 1900 we had about 8.2million hectares of forest and today it has depleted considerably,” Mr Jinapor noted.
To this end, he urged the board to provide the needed advice and formulate policies that would further efforts to green the country.
“I appeal to you that you now take the responsibility of devising a strategy and policies to ensure that we restore the forest cover of our country. This is the mantle that we have bestowed for you to discharge for the people of this country,” the Minister added.
He advised the board and management to work together and respect corporate governance principles and delineation of rules and their responsibilities.
Tetrete Okuamoah Sekyim II expressed gratitude to the government for the opportunity and reiterated the board’s commitment to advance the objectives of the Commission.
He said the board would work within its mandate and support the Commission in the implementation of a framework for the development and protection of forest resources.
BY CLAUDE NYARKO ADAMS
