Mining in a forest
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20th December, 2011
Abolish Mining In Forest Reserves - Forum
The National Forestry Forum-Ghana (NFF-G) has urged the government to abolish mining in the forest reserves of the country.
According to the Forum the practice was having a negative toll on the country’s efforts to sustain the reserves.
It said the forestry laws of the state needed to be reviewed and new ones enacted to support sustainable forest management, stressing that although there were some rules and regulations they were shrouded in ambiguity, highly unenforceable and not deterrent enough thus supporting corrupt practices.
These were contained in a communiqué signed by the President of the NFF-G, Kwame Asamoah Dwomoh, after their fourth National Congress at Akyawkrom, in Ejisu, which deliberated on issues affecting the sustainable management of forest and wildlife resources in Ghana.
According to the communiqué, laws must be stringent at all time to deter perpetrators of unacceptable forest practices.
In pursuit of transparency and accountability, the communiqué called for the participation of NFF-G and its organs to form an integral part of decision making and that the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources should demonstrate more commitment and improve relationship with civil society organizations for collaborative resource management.
The communiqué further called for enhanced collaboration between the NFF-G and Forestry Commission to monitor and evaluate forestry related activities such as plantation development and also stressed the importance of the government to provide better remuneration for forestry officials to discourage extortions, corruption and unacceptable practices in the sector.
In a nutshell, the communiqué said the NFF-G would be committed to undertake all morally binding activities and programs that would ensure the attainment of the goal for sustainable forest management and spearhead collaboration with sister organizations within Ghana and West African sub region and Africa as a whole.
The communiqué pointed out that the Forestry Commission should adhere to the use of competitive bidding in the allocation of timber resources as stipulated by the Legislative Instrument 1649 to promote transparency which ‘’is a tenet of good governance and avoid administrative which is the practice now’’.
According to the Forum the practice was having a negative toll on the country’s efforts to sustain the reserves.
It said the forestry laws of the state needed to be reviewed and new ones enacted to support sustainable forest management, stressing that although there were some rules and regulations they were shrouded in ambiguity, highly unenforceable and not deterrent enough thus supporting corrupt practices.
These were contained in a communiqué signed by the President of the NFF-G, Kwame Asamoah Dwomoh, after their fourth National Congress at Akyawkrom, in Ejisu, which deliberated on issues affecting the sustainable management of forest and wildlife resources in Ghana.
According to the communiqué, laws must be stringent at all time to deter perpetrators of unacceptable forest practices.
In pursuit of transparency and accountability, the communiqué called for the participation of NFF-G and its organs to form an integral part of decision making and that the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources should demonstrate more commitment and improve relationship with civil society organizations for collaborative resource management.
The communiqué further called for enhanced collaboration between the NFF-G and Forestry Commission to monitor and evaluate forestry related activities such as plantation development and also stressed the importance of the government to provide better remuneration for forestry officials to discourage extortions, corruption and unacceptable practices in the sector.
In a nutshell, the communiqué said the NFF-G would be committed to undertake all morally binding activities and programs that would ensure the attainment of the goal for sustainable forest management and spearhead collaboration with sister organizations within Ghana and West African sub region and Africa as a whole.
The communiqué pointed out that the Forestry Commission should adhere to the use of competitive bidding in the allocation of timber resources as stipulated by the Legislative Instrument 1649 to promote transparency which ‘’is a tenet of good governance and avoid administrative which is the practice now’’.
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