Accra, Sept. 15, GNA – Some members of the United States’ Congressional Committee on Natural Resources have paid a courtesy call on Ghana’s Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr. Samuel Abu Jinapor, to discuss effective ways of promoting environmental sustainability against climate change.
The delegation, led by Congressman Edward Case, is in Ghana to learn at first-hand how the country is managing her lands and natural resources.
Mr. Samuel Abu Jinapor, the sector minister, who welcomed the delegation in Accra, explained the mandate of the Ministry, saying that it was to oversee the prudent management of Ghana’s lands and natural resources such as the forest reserves and mineral deposits as well as the wildlife.
The Minister said the government, over the years, had implemented policies and programmes intended to protect the sector as well as enhancing revenue mobilisation.
On the forestry sector, the Minister said, it had implemented policies to preserve the existing depleted forest cover and enhance reforestation and afforestation through the Green Ghana project.
Mr Jinapor added that it had been implementing far-reaching policies and innovative measures aimed at reforming the mining sector through the enhancement of the licensing and enforcement regimes.
“Government has instituted measures to address the land tenure system in the country. The land sector database has been digitalised in this regard,” Mr. Jinapor said.
The Minister highlighted the long-standing collaboration and friendship between Ghana and the US in the areas of development and co-operation.
Mr Edward Case, a US Congressman and Leader of the delegation, on his part, said the delegation was in the country to learn about Ghana’s actions in the areas of climate change sustainability, especially in preserving the environment and national resources.
He said this would help them to know how they could collaborate and partner Ghana in protecting the environment.
“Our focus in Congress is to enhance international collaboration and partnerships on climate change and how we can save our world from adverse effects of climate change,” he added.
He thanked Ghana for her bilateral and multilateral co-operation with the US and pledged the determination of the US government to reinforcing international commitment towards protecting lives and improving livelihoods.
Ms. Virginia E. Palmer, the US Ambassador to Ghana, said the visit by the delegation to Ghana provide an opportunity for them to take a closer look at the variety of issues surrounding Ghana’s natural resources management regime.
She also mentioned Illegal Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, Cocoa and Sustainable Farming as some of the issues bookmarked by the Congressional Committee as part of their visit.
GNA