Government introduces “Woodlot Establishment” project to plant more trees
The Government of Ghana has introduced the Small-Scale Woodlot Establishment project.
The project will promote the planting of more trees to serve the purposes of charcoal and firewood to reduce the depletion of our forest reserves.
This project is being implemented in the Bono East and Upper East Regions by the CSIR’s Forestry Research Institute of Ghana under the auspices of the Ghana Skills Development Fund with support from the World Bank.
This follows the revelation that about sixty (60) percent of Ghanaians still rely on wood or charcoal as energy for their daily activities.
Speaking in an interview with Nana Kwadwo Adu in Techiman during the Bono East Regional Stakeholders’ Workshop on the project titled “Towards Sustainable Small-Scale Woodlot Management for Bio-energy and Rural Livelihood Improvement”, Prof. Emmanuel Opuni-Frimpong a Deputy Director at CSIR and Project leader revealed that majority of Ghanaians do not have access or cannot afford electricity or LPG gas hence their dependence on charcoal or firewood for cooking and other activities.
For her part, a Principal Research Scientist at the Forestry Research Institute of Ghana; Dr. Lucy Amissah, who is a Tropical Forest Ecologist noted that this project will create employment for millions and also help mitigate the effects of climate change. she therefore encouraged all Ghanaians especially the Forestry Commission, Food and Agriculture Department, Fire Service, Farmers, Charcoal Burners, CSOs in Environment, Schools & Institutions, Media and all Stakeholders to support the project.
Meanwhile, Mr. Dickson Adjei Sakyi the Bono East Regional Manager of the Forestry Services Division welcomed the “Woodlot Establishment” project excited that it will reduce the pressure on the already degraded forests in the country.
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