Accra, Dec. 20, - An eleven-member Board of the Forestry
Commission has been inaugurated in Accra with a call on members to use their
expertise to help fight against Galamsey and illegal chainsaw lumbering
activities in the country.
Mr John Peter Amewu, Minister of
Lands and Natural Resource, who performed the inauguration, charged the members
to regulate the utilisation of forest and timber resources and manage the
nation’s forest reserves.
”We are at the peak of the fight
against galamsey and illegal chainsaw activities,” he said. “It is thus good
timing that you are being inaugurated to join in the fight.”
Mr Amewu noted that the country’s
forest and wild life resources continued to be under serious threat of
degradation due to many factors, saying the situation should be of concern to
all.
”Deforestation and forest
degradation are manifesting themselves in the drying up of many water bodies, extinction
of prime timber species and destruction of wildlife habitat, long droughts and unreliable rainfall patterns,
poor agricultural patterns,” he stated.
The Minister also tasked members
to also regulate the over exploitation of rosewood and other species such as
Papao and Senya in the Savanna and Transitional areas.
He said it was also important
that members also facilitated the implementation of the Voluntary
Implementation Agreement (VIA between the Government and the European Union).
“Assist the private sector and
other bodies with the implementation of forest and wildlife policies,” he said.
He explained that the VPA
Agreement was to ensure that only legally produced timber products were
exported to the European market.
He assured the members of the
Ministry’s preparedness to cooperate fully with them in the discharge of their
functions.
Brigadier General (Retired)
Joseph Odei, Chairman of the Board, on behalf of the members, pledged their
commitment in the fight against all illegalities in the country’s forest
reserve and national parks to ensure change.
He commended the Forestry
Commission for working assiduously to initiate re-afforestation projects and
reclaim degraded lands.
Brigadier Gen Odei said the doors
of members were also opened to consultation and constructive criticisms that
would help in the realisation of the Forestry Commission’s vision and to find
solutions to the numerous problems that had bedeviled the Commission.
Members of the Board include: Mr
Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, Chief Executive Officer of the Commission, Mr Richard Duah Nsenkyire and Mr
George Wireko Brobby, representatives of Timber Trade Industry, Mr Henry
Kwabena Kokofu, a representative of the Ghana Institute of Professional
Foresters, and Mr Salifu Sulemana, a representative of Non-Governmental
Organisations involved in Forest and Wildlife management.
The rest are Dr. Wilfred Kwabena
Anim –Odame, a representative of the Lands Commission, Kumbun-Na Iddrisu Abu
II, a representative of the National House of Chiefs, Nana Akosua K. Agyeman
Prempeh, Togbe Gabusu VI, and Mr Mahmoud Hamid Nassir-Deen all nominees of the
President.
The inauguration of the Board is
in compliance with the Forestry Commission Act, 1999, Act 571.
GNA
No comments:
Post a Comment