Official calls for action to stem decline of forest resources

Nyinahin (Ash.), Aug. 3, GNA - Mr Gregory Chemogo Deri, Atwima District Manager of the Forest Service Division of the Forestry Commission, has expressed concern about the fast pace at which the country was losing its forests and appealed to all, especially community leaders, to be more supportive of measures to halt it.

He said Ghana's total forest cover of 8.6 million hectares at the turn of the 20th centu ry had now been reduced to only about 1.2 million hectares. He blamed the destruction on the activities of illegal chainsaw operators who cut down all sizes of trees with impunity. Mr Deri, speaking to the Ghana News Agency in an interview, said it was time chiefs, assembly members and the unit committees joined hands with the FSD to restore sanity.

"Let us all accept to protect and to ensure sustainable management of the remaining forests. We should not hesitate to expose those operating timber without permit in our communities." Mr Samuel Adda, the Tano Offin South Forest Range Supervisor, said there would be snap road checks to deal with the alarming rate of illegal timber felling.

Investment and productivity are ingredients for development - Cofie Accra, Aug 3, GNA - Mr Charles Cofie, Chief Executive Officer of Unilever Ghana, said on Monday promoting investment and improving productivity were ingredients for socio-economic development of the country.

He said the ability of developed countries to increase outputs of goods and services from available sets of inputs was what separated those countries from developing nations and added that Ghana must not be left behind.

Mr Cofie was addressing a workshop organised by the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) and co-sponsored by Unilever Ghana and the US embassy for journalists in Economic and Business reporting in Accra. He said though there had been much public debate on political issues to ensure good governance, it was urgent Ghana moved from the status of democratic and political maturity to one of economic liberation. "As a people we can make great gains in this area, and again the press has the power to sensitise, educate and lead all Ghanaians forward in this direction," he said.

Mr Cofie appealed to journalists to be guided by their ethics, a sense of professionalism and integrity in their work for national development.

Dr Audrey Gadzekpo, the Acting Director of School of Communication, Legon, appealed to journalists to go beyond event stories but research and do follow-ups in order to inform the citizenry on issues affecting them.

She decried one-sided approach of reporting and stressed on the need to get multi-perspective views on issues adding that it was a matured way of practicing journalism.

Dr Gadzekpo called on journalists to remove jargons and unnecessary technical words from their stories as they turned to confuse rather than educate the public.

She expressed worry over the fact that some news headlines were quite misleading and called for cohesion in stories to enhance easy understanding.

Dr. Gadzekpo said economic reporters needed to challenge themselves in areas like reporting on finances of political parties, the Electoral Commission and the economic activities of political institutions in order to expose any corrupt practices.

Mr Ransford Tetteh, President of the GJA said "if Ghana is to develop at the desired accelerated rate, the generality of the citizenry need to understand and appreciate the nature, challenges and opportunities not only of politics but of other areas including the business world."

He expressed the hope that the workshop would strengthen the capacity of the Ghanaian media in their ability to contribute to dialogue and provide informed analysis upon which people could make sound judgments and choices.

Mr Benjamin East, the Information Officer of the US Embassy, said journalism was an institution that had not been properly identified by many nations of their contributions for development but lauded Ghana's contributions towards developing a free and vibrant media. He called on journalists to make accurate, unbiased and fair reportage their trademark. The five-day workshop is expected to build the capacity of selected journalists on Business and Economic reporting, HIV/AIDS and Malaria reporting as well as Intellectual Property Rights, Environmental and Sanitation reporting.