By Eric Appah Marfo
Accra, Nov. 25, GNA — Mr Samuel Abu Jinapor, Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, has urged environmental professionals and conservationists to ensure that a healthier, more valuable and sustainable planet is left behind for the next generation.
“We have a collective responsibility to save planet earth, and bequeath to our children a healthier, more valuable and sustainable planet. The time for action is now.”
He made the comment on Thursday at the 25th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Ghana Institute of Foresters (GIF), in Accra.
It was on the theme: “Ghana’s Response to Climate Change: The GIF Perspective.”
In a speech read on his behalf by Mr Joseph Osiakwan, Technical Director responsible for Forestry at the Ministry, he said over 50 per cent of green house gas emissions in Ghana were caused by Agriculture, Forest and Land Use (AFOLU) activities.
He said illegal mining, illegal logging, agriculture and land use activities also contributed to deforestation in the country.
The Minister said his outfit would work with GIF to effectively manage and utilise forest resources.
He, therefore, urged them to make their voices heard on issues related to climate change, and provide strategic and managerial insights into conversations and debates.
Mr Jinapor said Government was pursuing a shift from mere conservation to ecotourism, to provide an effective economic incentive for conservation and protection of ecosystem and biodiversity, as is the case in Kenya, South Africa, Rwanda, Uganda and Zambia.
“We are, also, implementing the Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Action Plan, under the Voluntary Partnership Agreement with the European Union, to promote the sustainable felling of trees.”
“The Ministry has also undertaken some transformational policy reforms on tree tenure and benefit sharing schemes to motivate farmers to keep naturally occurring trees on their farms during land preparation,” he said.
Professor Samuel Kingsley Oppong, National President, GIF, said the Institute had gained recognition as a profession in relevant sectors of the economy.
He said they had also established a rigorous certification process through professional examinations.
“Again, together with your support, we have gained our membership on the Forestry Commission Board,” he added.
However, the National President bemoaned apathy demonstrated by members towards their programmes, especially the AGMs.
Another challenge, he said, was their inability to constitute the GIF Council because of weak regional chapters.
Other challenges include inadequate resource mobilisation to fund programmes and acquire a befitting office accommodation and inadequate and lack of strong collaboration with other professional associations in and outside Ghana.
He said they were working to once again regain their membership on the Ministry’s Advisory Board.
The National President called on everyone practicing forestry as a profession to register as a GIF member in line with the provisions of the Professional Bodies Decree, 1973 (NRCD 143) Section 18 (3).
The Decree states that “No person shall practice any profession in respect of which a professional body has been registered under this decree unless he has been duly registered by the registrar under this section.”
Mr Henry Kwabena Kokofu, Executive Director of Environmental Protection Agency, observed that in recent times, foresters could be found in other professional establishments, unlike in times past when they were “lurking in the background.”
“The profession has come of age and is no more sitting at the back,” he added.
He urged them to be proud of their profession as foresters and participate in the activities of GIF.
GNA