The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Samuel Abu Jinapor, has noted that the ecological integrity of Ghana’s Forest Reserves has been largely maintained despite several threats to the vital resource.
He disclosed this on the floor of parliament on Thursday in response to a question on the state of forest reserves in the country.
He noted that the Forestry Commission in efforts to maintain the ecology has put in place several measures to protect Ghana’s forest reserves from various drivers of deforestation and forest degradation such as bushfires: illegal mining and logging, agricultural expansion, and settlement.
“Among the commission’s measures in curbing the menace are regular patrolling of Forest Reserves, protection and maintenance of Forest Reserve internal and external boundaries, awareness creation and stakeholder sensitization.
“Others include decommissioning and demobilization of equipment used for illegalities in Forest Reserves, destruction of illegal farms, arrest and prosecution of forest offenders, and Wildfire Prevention, Control, and Suppression interventions,” he emphasized.
Mr Jinapor further noted that many tree-planting exercises are being carried out to restore the portions of the Forest Reserves that have been affected by deforestation.
“These initiatives include the Green Ghana Project, Youth in Afforestation/Reforestation Project, and the Modified Taungya System,” he added.
The Minister echoed that the ministry has suspended reconnaissance, prospecting, and/or exploration in Forest Reserves.
Irene Osei Wirekoaa, ISD