'Allow Grassroots Participation In Forest Management'

Asamoah-Dwomoh (middle) flaked by other members of the forum addressing the press

Members of the National Forestry Forum, Ghana have stated that the time has come for government, Ministry of Lands, Forestry & Mines and Forestry Commission to engage people at the grassroots to ensure the effective management of the country's forest resources.

The members of the forum disclosed this recently in Accra as part of efforts to address current issues regarding land degradation, illegal mining and logging of the country's forest reserves.

Kwame Asamoah-Dwomoh, Vice president of the National Forestry Forum, in an address, said grassroots stakeholders in the country's forest management sector should be engaged to help prevent forest degradation.

He called for the adoption of new strategies to curb illegal logging and mining in forest reserves before the problem gets out of hand.

The vice president of the forum said despite efforts by government and various bodies that were fighting against the menace, illegal logging was on the ascendency and posed a threat to the existence of the forest resources.

He noted that an investigation conducted by the forum into reports of illegal mining activities within the Subri Forest Reserve in the Western region revealed that although some companies had received government's consent to undertake mining, many companies were engaged in illegal mining in the Subri Forest Reserve.

Mr Asamoah-Dwomoh, who was worried about the situation noted, 'One of the well known companies REMWOF that claimed to be implementing the Youth in Mining Module at Nsadweso in the Mpohor Wassa East District had no mining license from the Mineral Commission for small-scale mining in the district.

He noted that managers in charge of the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) in the district denied the assertions of the company.

'We also believe that even if the company has been contracted by government for mining, the right procedure for allocation of the mining concession was not adhered to as the district manager is unaware of the allocation.

'We are therefore calling on government to use the right procedure in the allocation of whatever area is left to be given out for mining and ensure that sanity prevails within the environment.

'Currently, there is lack of accountability within the government sector where some timber companies do not take responsibility for their actions and refuse to compensate farmers after the destruction of their farms during logging activities.'

The forestry forum initiative was approved by Forestry Commission and facilitated by the CRM Unit with sponsorship from DFID under the Forest Sector Development Project II (FSDPII).

By Stella Danso Addai