Govt to collaborate with institutions in afforestation

Accra, Oct.17, GNA- Madam Theresa Amerley Tagoe, Deputy Minister of Land and Forestry on Friday said government would collaborate with other institutions and organizations in the implementation of the National Forest Plantation Development Scheme (NFPDS).

She said through the collective effort of all concerned individuals, communities, companies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the problems of deforestation could be solved.

Madam Tagoe was addressing the closing session of a two-week training workshop on Nursery Establishment and Management (NEM) in Accra.

The workshop, organized by Vision 2050 Forestry Ghana Limited, an Agro-forestry Company, was attended by 20 participants selected from eight out of the ten regions in Ghana.

She said the scheme was instituted to restore degraded forest, increase raw material base for the wood industry, create employment opportunities for the people and alleviate poverty in the rural communities.

The Deputy Minister said government was currently implementing four different programmes under the Scheme with a target of establishing 20,000 hectares of plantation annually.

These are the Modified Tungya System, Private Sector and Local community off-reserve Programme, Community Forestry Management Project, Government Plantation Development Programme and the Bamboo and Rattan Development Programme.

Madam Tagoe called on the participants to impart the knowledge and skills acquired to improve on the production of healthy seedlings and undertake contracts on nursing seedlings for next year's plantation programme.

Mr Frank K. Frempong, Field Director of Vision 2050 said the workshop was organised to sensitise the youth to have interest in agriculture and forestry.

He said it would in addition, empower the rural communities in the efficient management of their resources. Mr Frempong said the company was determined to recover 50 per cent of the country's degraded lands and make Ghana a green country by the year 2050.

The participants were presented with certificates.