By Ernest Nutsugah
Accra, June 13, GNA – The second batch of Community Forest Monitors have begun training on a project aimed at promoting transparency and strengthening public oversight on Ghana’s forests.
Dubbed: “The Akofena Project,” the initiative, among other objectives, seeks to enhance civil society participation, community engagement, and government accountability in forest governance systems in Ghana and Liberia.
It is intended to support legal timber trade and improve multi-stakeholder collaboration in alignment with the United Kingdom Forest Governance, Markets and Climate Programme.
Named after the Ghana Adinkra symbol “Akofena” (Sword of War), which symbolises authority, courage, unity, and responsibility, the project forms part of efforts to strengthen state responsibility for forest protection while empowering communities to demand accountability.
The four-year initiative is implemented locally by non-governmental organisations, EcoCare Ghana and Civic Response, with support from the United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
Speaking at the opening in Accra, Ms Evlyn Addor, Communication Officer, EcoCare Ghana, said the sessions would equip selected community members with the knowledge and practical skills required to monitor forest activities within Timber Utilisation Contract (TUC) areas.
“The Akofena Project recognises that sustainable forest governance depends not only on effective laws and institutions but also on the active involvement of citizens, particularly forest fringe communities, whose livelihoods are directly affected by forest management decisions,” she noted.
“Through community-led forest monitoring, local people are empowered to contribute to efforts to combat illegal logging, promote responsible forest management, and enhance accountability within the forestry sector.”
The training targets communities across five forest districts in the Ashanti, Central and Western regions.
Ms Addor said participants would be trained to collect and report information on forest activities using monitoring tools and digital applications developed to support independent forest monitoring.
The initiative, she explained, followed community engagements and scoping exercises conducted by EcoCare Ghana, in collaboration with the Forest Services Division (FSD) of the Forestry Commission, which revealed concerns regarding illegal logging, transparency in timber harvesting operations, benefit-sharing arrangements, and access to information related to Social Responsibility Agreements (SRAs).
Implementers said the project would complement existing forest governance structures and support the objectives of Ghana’s forest governance reforms.
Mr Enoch Okeyere, Project Manager, highlighted the importance of SRAs and the role of independent forest monitoring in promoting accountability and sustainable forest management in Ghana.
In addition to other outcomes, he said the project should lead to significant reduction in illegal logging, and increased participation of non-state actors in forest law enforcement and oversight.
It employs a governance-focused approach built on community-led monitoring, strengthening civil society capacity, collaboration with law enforcement, strategic advocacy, and regional knowledge sharing.
GNA
Edited by Agnes Boye-Doe