Ho, April. 21, GNA – The Forestry Commission, under its joint Forest Resources Management Project (FORUM) with GTZ of Germany, to rejuvenate forests in parts of the Volta Region, pays 38 communities, 5.5 million cedis each as incentive for excelling in the preservation of forest resources.
Mr William Bimah, Volta Regional Director of the Forest Services Division (FSD) of the Commission said this on Wednesday during the launch of the Ho Customer Service Centre of the Commission. He was responding to a contributors demand during an open forum that a workable incentive and sanctions regime should be part of the drive to stop the depletion of forest resources.
Mr Bimah said similar incentive packages were being worked out at the national level to reward other communities in the country. He suggested that one organisation should be mandated and equipped to enforce the laws on setting illegal bush fires and other infractions related to the forest and its resources.
Mr Henry Atta Paidoo, Director of Human Resources of the Commission said the establishment of the Customer Service Centres was to change the adversarial nature of relations that existed between the Commission and the public for many years.
“We have policed forest resources for a century, it has not worked, the terrain has changed, we now want to involve all stakeholders to manage the forest”, he stated.
He said the Customer Service Centres would collaborate with the District Assemblies to formulate strategies to manage forest resources. Mr Paidoo regretted that the assemblies were less visible in the past strategies of forest management, in which the Forestry Commission worked as a “closed shop, internally focused”.
Mr Mawutor Goh, Ho District Chief Executive (DCE) blamed the depletion of the forest on illegal bush fires, inappropriate agricultural practices and indiscriminate felling of trees. He hoped activities of the centres would be sustained and public enticed by its good works to offer suggestions and support to help maintain the nation’s forests.
Mr Gershon Amaglo, Ho District Customer Service Centre Manager said efforts must be made to check the depletion of the forest.
