By Eric Appah Marfo
Accra, Jan. 28, GNA – The Government has reclaimed nine forest reserves previously classified as red zones due to severe degradation and armed illegal mining activities.
The reserves had become no-go areas after they were overtaken by armed gangs engaged in illegal mining and timber operations, making it impossible for forestry officials to gain access.
Mr Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, disclosed this on Tuesday when Vice President Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang paid a working visit to the Ministry as part of her familiarisation tour of ministries and agencies, he said.
Mr Buah said the reclamation followed deliberate efforts to retool, motivate and strengthen the law enforcement capacity of the Forestry Commission, which had weakened over the years.
He said illegal timber operations, which had also posed a major challenge, were being addressed, adding that an Ashanti timber monitoring team had been inaugurated to enhance monitoring and enforcement.
Mr Buah said the Government was prioritising ecotourism development to protect forest reserves while creating economic opportunities for host communities.
He cited ongoing initiatives at Kakum National Park, the Shai Hills Resource Reserve and other forest areas aimed at attracting investment and encouraging Ghanaians to explore the country’s natural heritage.
On land administration, the Minister said the Government had begun major reforms at the Lands Commission to improve service delivery and restore public confidence in the land administration system.
He said the Commission was expected to fully digitalise its operations within the next two years, following the Government’s decision to allow it to retain 70 per cent of its internally generated funds to support the process.
Mr Buah said the digitisation would eliminate challenges such as missing files and delays, and enable citizens to access Lands Commission services remotely.
He also announced a decentralisation drive to bring land administration services closer to the people, saying 36 Lands Commission offices had already been opened across the country.
The Minister said the target was to establish Lands Commission offices in 110 metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies to reduce the need for travel to regional capitals.
Touching on climate action, Mr Buah said Ghana’s forest protection and reclamation efforts were receiving international recognition.
He said the country was expected to receive 20 million dollars in emission reduction payments this year, with an additional 30 million dollars in climate support funding anticipated.
Mr Buah said the developments showed that the international community was acknowledging Ghana’s commitment to environmental sustainability and climate change mitigation.
In her response, Vice President Professor Opoku-Agyemang commended the Ministry for the progress made, describing the reclamation of degraded forest reserves as a significant achievement.
She said environmental protection was both a moral obligation and a matter of survival, noting that pollution and environmental degradation affected all Ghanaians.
“When you hear of the health implications and deformities linked to polluted water bodies, it is not a funny story. Protecting the environment is protecting ourselves,” she said.
The Vice President also praised the Ministry’s digitisation and decentralisation efforts, saying they would help address land administration challenges at the grassroots level.
She urged that land banks being developed for agricultural investment should also consider the needs of women, many of whom faced challenges in accessing land for farming.
Professor Opoku-Agyemang assured the Ministry of the Government’s full support and encouraged staff to continue working diligently to achieve improved results in the years ahead.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Sackey