Forestry Commission Gets Fire Tenders

The Minister for Lands, Forestry and Mines, Mrs Esther Obeng-Dapaah, yesterday in Accra, commissioned 12 Fire Tenders and Information Communication Technology (ICT) equipment.   The equipment, which were estimated at eight million Euros, were donated to the Forestry Commission by the Netherlands Government to ensure the management of wildfire in the country.   Commissioning the equipment, Mrs Obeng-Dapaah, commended the Government of Netherlands for their continued support to Ghana, saying that the equipment will be put to good use to ensure significant reduction in wildfires, improve in livelihood and the global environment.   She observed that, since 2002, Government has put measures in place to manage wildfire in Ghana with support estimated at about twelve million Euros from the Kingdom of Netherlands to curb wildfire in the country.   According to the Minister, the first and only comprehensive National Fire Policy in Ghana, launched in February 2007 with support from the Netherlands government will go a long way to help the country.   The Netherlands Ambassador to Ghana, Lidi Remmelzwaal, who made the donation on behalf of the Government of Netherlands said the wildfire management project is aimed at rehabilitating forests through wildfire prevention and control.   She said the Wildlife Management Project (WFMP) which was set up in 2002 is part of a sector-wide approach in order to strengthen the forestry sector.