Mpohor-Fiase hosts Armed Forces Command and Staff College on environmental study tour

The Mpohor-Fiase District Assembly has hosted officers of the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College (Junior Division) as part of an environmental study tour designed to deepen participants’ understanding of Ghana’s environmental and development challenges.

The tour, held on Thursday, September 24, 2026, brought together about 70 officers participating in Junior Staff Course 86 (JSC 86), including officers from Ghana and other African countries, alongside 31 members of the College staff.

The study tour focused on critical environmental and development issues, including illegal mining, human security, sustainable cash crop production, land reclamation, forest conservation, climate resilience, water pollution and watershed protection.

During their engagement with the Mpohor-Fiase District Assembly, the participants were briefed on the district’s experiences in tackling illegal mining, protecting natural resources and promoting sustainable development.

The participants subsequently visited Benso Oil Palm Plantation PLC (BOPP), where they were taken through the company’s operations and received a briefing on the impact of illegal mining on cash crop production and the sustainability measures being implemented to protect its plantations.

The BOPP engagement provided the officers with practical insights into the interconnectedness of environmental protection, agricultural production and sustainable livelihoods. It also highlighted the challenges posed by illegal mining to Ghana’s cash crop sector and the need for responsible approaches to natural resource management.

The visit further enabled participants to appreciate the wider environmental and socio-economic consequences of illegal mining, particularly its effects on agricultural land, water bodies, forest resources and the livelihoods of communities that depend on these resources.

The study tour formed part of efforts to expose participants to practical environmental challenges and interventions at the local level, while encouraging a broader understanding of the role of security institutions and other stakeholders in promoting sustainable development.

The engagement also underscored the importance of collaboration among the Ghana Armed Forces, local government authorities, traditional authorities, private-sector institutions and local communities in addressing environmental challenges and protecting the country’s natural resources.

The Mpohor-Fiase District Assembly’s engagement with the officers and the subsequent visit to BOPP provided a practical perspective on the environmental challenges facing communities and the measures being adopted by public and private institutions to build more resilient and sustainable communities.