Lands Minister inaugurates Forestry Commission Governing Board

An 11-member governing board of the Forestry Commission has been inaugurated to formulate policies towards recovering the country’s forest cover.

It is chaired by Tetrete Okuamoah-Sekyim II, Paramount Chief of Wassa Akropong Traditional Area in the Western Region.

Mr. Samuel Abdulai Jinapor, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, who administered the Oaths of Office, Allegiance, and Secrecy to them, at the Ministry in Accra on Thursday, charged the new Board to bring their experiences, skills, and knowledge onboard towards reversing the increased dissipation of the country’s forest resources.

The sector Minister observed that the loss of the forest cover had consequential effects on the economy and the climate and urged them to formulate innovative policies to change the narrative.

He cited the recent Green Ghana initiative as one of the projects the government rolled out to restore the forest cover, adding that more efforts were required to realize the vision of greening Ghana.

The Chairman of the Board, in his inaugural address, thanked the President for the confidence reposed in them and pledged to work tirelessly towards realizing the goal of restoring the forest cover.

Other members of the board are Okatakyie Kwasi Bumagama II, representing the National House of Chiefs and Paramount Chief of Sefwi-Wiawso, George Wireko-Brobbey, a representative of Wildlife Trade Industry, Alhaji Sulemana Mahama, a representative of the Lands Commission, Gustav Alexander Adu, a representative of NGOs involved in Forestry and Wildlife Management and Professor Samuel Kingsley Oppong, representing the Ghana Institute of Professional Foresters.

The rest were: Richard Duah-Nsenbire, a representative of Timber Trade and Industry; John Allotey, CEO of Forestry Commission; Kenneth Kweku Ofori Amankwah, member and President’s nominee; Mahmoud Nassir-Deen, member, and Nana Akosua Agyeman-Prempeh, also a member.