41 billion cedis HIPC fund for reforestation project

Akyawkrom (Ash), July 10, GNA - The government has released 41 billion cedis from the HIPC fund to support another reforestation project in the country this year.
The project, which will run parallel to that of the Forest Plantation Development Programme initiated by the President, is aimed at further boosting forest development and promote sustainable resources management in the sector.
Its targets include degraded forest reserves, off reserves areas and urban forestry.
Professor Dominic Fobih, Minister of Lands and Forestry, announced this at the 11th annual general meeting of the Ghana Institute of Professional Foresters at the Wood Industries Training Centre (WITC) at Akyawkrom in the Ejisu-Juaben District on Thursday.
The two-day meeting is under the theme: "Natural resources management in Ghana: Challenges to professionalism."
Prof Fobih said besides the environmental and economic value, the project would create 20,000 new jobs this year and would be increased to 100,000 by the end of 2004.
The Minister said work on bamboo plantation development, utilisation and research was progressing steadily, adding that, 18 new bamboo species had been received from Hawaii and seedlings were currently being nursed for multiplication and use.
Prof Fobih said to address some of the problems facing the forestry sector, a number of policy reforms had been initiated by the government.
These included transparent and efficient allocation of timber resources and control over cutting of timber, appropriate pricing of timber and other forestry based products to increase revenue, review of the Annual Allowance Cut (AAC) as a transitional measure to salvage valuable timber from being destroyed in off-reserve areas and the maintenance of log export suspension.
The Minister indicated that efforts were also being made to engage illegal chain-saw operators and poachers in various alternative livelihood enterprises such as plantation development, grasscutter rearing and snail farming.
Prof Fobih said these efforts by the government were to ensure sustainable resource for the sector and called for support and commitment of the professional foresters to achieve the goals. Mr Sampson Kwaku Boafo, Ashanti Regional Minister, urged the foresters to intensify their educational campaigns to increase awareness and help lift the country from its under development.
He also charged them to explore and exploit the "green fund" from international sources to sustain the nation's forest resources and also adopt a more sustainable attitude by attaching importance to modern corporate ways of doing things. Mr J.A. Manu, National Vice President of the Institute, said the objective of the institute was to use knowledge and skills of the forestry profession to benefit society and also to advance the science, technology and practice of professional forestry in Ghana.