About 15,000 people are expected to be recruited in March 2017 for government’s trees planting exercise across the country.
Chairman of the Lands and Forestry Committee of Parliament, Hon. Francis Manu Adabour, made this known during a familiarization visit to the Mole Game Reserve in the West Gonja District of the Northern Region.
He said government was committed to protecting the country’s forest reserves that are almost depleted by bush fires, illegal mining and the felling of trees indiscriminately for commercial activities.
“Government is planning to employ 15,000 people next month to plant trees in all degraded areas of the country’s forest reserves. As part of the plan, the issue of bush-fires and other activities threatening the existence of the forest reserves would be adequately addressed” Francis Manu Adabour said.
The Ahafo Ano South-East constituency Legislator, Francis Manu Adabour, anticipated that the new policy will shore up the numerical strength of the country’s forest guards.
“This will enable the Forestry Commission to be able to deal with the issues of environmental degradation.”
According to him, the familiarization visits offered the Committee’s members the opportunity to identify and proffer solutions to the teething problems of institutions working under the Lands and Natural Resources Ministry.
Francis Manu Adabour said the Committee identified inadequate staff and lack of vehicles among other challenges hampering the operations of the Forestry Commission, the Lands Commission, the Administrator of Stool Lands and the Game and Wildlife Commission.
“Lack of vehicles and inadequate staffing situation is seriously affecting monitoring and supervision as well as revenue generation of some of the institutions, and we will talk to the sector Minister to address the challenges confronting them.”
He reiterated the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources’ plan to use drones and satellites imaging systems to augment its fight against illegal mining.
As part of its oversight responsibilities, the Lands and Forestry Committee is supposed to visit all 10 regions to familiarize with the working environment and conditions of state institutions such as the Forestry Commission, Lands Commission, Administrator of Stool Lands and the Game and Wildlife Commission.
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By: Abdul Karim Naatogmah/citifmonline.com/Ghana