Dark clouds over gov't afforestation program

...Labour force redeployed

The much-talked about afforestration programme of the government to ensure that trees are planted in degraded forests in the country is running into serious trouble.

Chronicle can reveal that about 150 people engaged by Asuowam Complex (AC) Ltd, a timber firm at Wamfie in the Brong Ahafo Region for afforestration project at the degraded forest reserve at Pamu-Brekum have been redeployed.

Out of the total of 150 people engaged by AC Ltd as the labour force for the project only a skeleton staff of 15 are now left to hold the fort, Chronicle has learnt.

The decision by the management of AC Ltd to terminate the appointment of 135 people stemmed from the fact that the company had run out of funds as a result of lack of logs for its operations.

As part of the policy by the government to plant trees in almost all the degraded forests in the country, AC Ltd was given 1,000 hectares of Pamu-Brekum?s degraded forest in 1998 to plant trees there.

Mostly timber firms that were given such reserves to plant trees were also given the mandate to explore the reserves so that the proceeds could then be used to cater for the planting of the trees, Chronicle learnt.

Unfortunately for AC Ltd, since there was no tree in the said degraded forest reserve, the company depended on the proceeds from its concessions elsewhere to pay people engaged to plant trees.

Since the project took off in 1998, AC Ltd has been able to plant trees covering about 400 hectares, making the company one of the leaders in afforestration in the region.

Chronicle can report that when the project commenced in 1998, AC Ltd, under the leadership of Mr C.A. Boateng, has never run short of anything, except early this year, when financial difficulties hit it as a result of lack of logs for his firm.

Since there was no solution or help from any quarter, Boateng first revoked the appointment of his work force at the timber firm and later topped it with those working on the afforestration project.

When Chronicle reached Mr Thomas Broni, the Deputy Minister for Land and Forestry, on Monday, last week to find out whether his ministry was aware of the predicament of the company and other individuals on afforestration programme who might be in a similar situation, he said the AC Ltd issue has not reached his desk.

He therefore asked this reporter to give him time to contact the Brong Ahafo Forestry Director for details of the event.

But when Chronicle approached the Minister on Wednesday, the same week, he sounded doubtful about the issue, but said the ministry would do everything possible to ensure that the afforestration programme did not run into trouble.

He noted that even though individuals who are planting the trees are sole owners of the what they are planting, every thing would be done to encourage such individuals, if necessary.

Mr. Boateng, the Managing Director (MD) of the company, told the Chronicle in a brief interview that until material for the operations was available there was no way he could sustain the labour force for the afforestration programme.

He explained that because of the precarious position that he found himself he did not plant a single seedling or tree this year.

When Chronicle reached Mr. Ameyaw, the Brong Ahafo Regional Forestry Director, he confirmed the story.

?As far as the plantation development of forests is concerned, Boateng has proved beyond all the reasonable doubt that he is second to none,? he told Chronicle in brief telephone interview.

He added that since the degraded forest reserve was given to Boateng and his company, he has demonstrated by deed that he meant business and commended him for the seriousnesss he attached to the project and what he has so far planted.