The Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF), in partnership with the Forestry Commission and supported by Zijin Golden Ridge Ghana and other partners, has launched a five-year project to restore 50 hectares of degraded forest at the Subri River Forest Reserve in Sekyere Krobo in the Western Region.

The project, commissioned on October 29, 2026, forms part of MIIF’s Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Biodiversity Reforestation Project, which aims to promote environmental sustainability and protect biodiversity in Ghana’s mining communities.

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, MIIF Chief Executive Officer, Mrs Justina Nelson, said the initiative reflected the Fund’s commitment to ensuring that the economic benefits of mineral resources were matched by responsible environmental management.

“The true value of our nation's mineral wealth lies not only in what we extract today, but also in the natural heritage we preserve for generations to come,” she said.

She said the project's success would depend not only on the number of trees planted but also on their survival and the long-term recovery of the forest. She therefore called for sustained care, effective monitoring and strong collaboration among stakeholders.

The Forestry Commission will provide technical expertise and implementation support to guide the restoration process. Its Executive Director of the Forest Services Division, Dr Sarfo Adu, said effective forest management and sustained collaboration were essential to ensuring the survival of the trees and the recovery of the reserve.

He urged other corporate organisations to support forest restoration by partnering with the Commission, adding that such efforts would complement the government's Tree for Life Restoration Initiative, launched by President John Dramani Mahama on March 21, 2025.

The Paramount Chief of Sekyere Krobo, Nana Kwao Badu II, welcomed the project and commended MIIF and its partners for involving local farmers in the restoration exercise.

He urged the Forestry Commission to work closely with participating farmers and ensure they benefit from their efforts to nurture and protect the trees. He said this would encourage community ownership and strengthen local commitment to safeguarding the forest.

Nana Kwao Badu II also thanked MIIF for providing farm tools to support the farmers and appealed for additional assistance for forest guards to improve protection of the reserve.

The five-year initiative brings together MIIF, the Forestry Commission, corporate partners, traditional authorities and the local community to address forest degradation and promote biodiversity conservation.

MIIF said the project had received support from the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, the District Assembly and other stakeholders, as part of efforts to make environmental protection an integral part of responsible mineral resource management in Ghana.