By Edward Dankwah
Accra, Aug. 27, GNA– Proforest, an organisation working to protect forest ecosystems and their services, has presented 22 motorbikes to the Ahafo Regional Forestry Commission to strengthen forest protection.
The donation is also to, improve patrols and enhance access to remote forest areas across the Asunafo-Asutifi landscape.
The presentation was made under the Support for Forest Protection and Rehabilitation in the Asunafo-Asutifi Landscape project.
A statement issued in Accra said the project was being implemented as part of the Ghana Cocoa Forest REDD+ Programme with support from Mondelēz International, Barry Callebaut and Sainsbury’s Supermarket.
It seeks to strengthen practical interventions aimed at protecting forests, supporting restoration activities and promoting climate-resilient and deforestation-free cocoa production.
The project also aims to rehabilitate approximately 450 hectares of severely degraded forest reserve areas, particularly within the Asutifi North Sub-Hotspot Intervention Area.
The statement said the motorbikes are expected to improve the mobility of frontline Forestry Commission officers and enable them to reach difficult and remote terrain more efficiently.
It said they would also support faster responses to illegal activities, improve surveillance and facilitate consistent monitoring of restoration sites across the landscape.
It said forest reserves in Ghana’s cocoa-producing landscapes continue to face pressure from degradation, encroachment and other activities, while limited access remains a challenge for frontline forest protection officers.
The statement said the support demonstrated how private sector investment in cocoa sustainability could be translated into practical action to protect forests and strengthen climate resilience.
Mr Abraham Baffoe, the Global and Africa Director of Proforest, said improved mobility would enhance the Forestry Commission’s capacity to carry out its forest protection mandate.
“This support will enhance the Forestry Commission’s ability to protect forest reserves and monitor restoration activities across the landscape,” he said.
Mr Baffoe said improving the mobility of frontline officers would help strengthen day-to-day forest protection, safeguard restoration investments and advance efforts towards climate-resilient, deforestation-free cocoa landscapes.
Reverend Edward Opoku Antwi, Ahafo Regional Manager of the Forestry Commission, welcomed the donation, describing it as timely for forest protection efforts in the region.
“These motorbikes come at a critical time for forest protection in the region,” he said.
He said they would help officers reach remote areas quickly, improve surveillance and support restoration activities.
Proforest works with companies, governments and civil society partners to promote responsible production and sourcing of agricultural commodities, while the Ghana Cocoa Forest REDD+ Programme seeks to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation and promote sustainable cocoa landscapes.
GNA
Edited by Benjamin Mensah