A four-member delegation from Tullow Oil have paid a courtesy visit to the newly appointed Acting Chief Executive (Ag. C.E.) of the Forestry Commission (FC), Dr. Hugh Brown. This engagement sought to acquaint the delegation from Tullow with new head of the Commission in regards to the long-standing relationship between both institutions.

Miss, Roselyn Fosua Adjei, Director, Climate Change Directorate, in her opening remarks, welcomed the team from Tullow oil and staff present. She addressed the agenda of the day as an opportunity for the delegation to meet the AG. C.E. Mr. Jean-Medard Medama, Managing Director of Tullow Ghana, leading the delegation expressed profound gladness to be present, congratulated Dr. Brown for his, wished him the best in the new position and hoped to deepen collaborations between FC and Tullow.

Addressing the gathering, Dr. Hugh Brown, welcomed the delegation and acknowledged the good will. The gathering was propelled into discussions on the progress of the Emissions Reduction Purchase Agreement (ERPA). “We have started site selection’’, stated Dr. Brown, explaining the work carried out so far. He added that landed preparation is scheduled to start this February with an initial 1000hectare(ha) plantation target.

Dr. Brown quantified that the project will employ the Modified Taungya System (MTS) module, a sustainable agricultural practice that incorporates some shade tree spices in crop farming and further stating an annual plantation target of 50,000 ha and 5,000 ha for enrichment planting.

Tullow Oil made official a strategic partnership with FC to implement a high-integrity, jurisdictional-based Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD+) programme. The initiative, ERPA, aims to mitigate residual emissions by investing in nature-based solutions across 2 million hectares in priority districts in the Bono and Bono East regions, addressing deforestation caused by economic activities.

Through the ERPA, signed on May 23, 2024, Tullow will support conservation and afforestation efforts, delivering up to 1 million tonnes of certified carbon offsets annually under the Architecture for REDD+ Transactions standard. The project is expected to benefit over 1 million residents by promoting alternative livelihoods, conservation governance, and sustainable employment, aligning with Ghana’s National REDD+ strategy and environmental standards.

The interaction focused on steering committee selection which was agreed to have a seven-member committee, the need for anti-bushfire training in the Bono East region as bushfire has been recognised as an issue in the region. A total of 12 communities were discussed to have been selected in each region and documentation on how these communities were selected to avoid suspicion of partiality. It was also suggested that planting season be set for May and June, to maximise the benefits of the rainy season.

Other topics raised in the discussion included carbon benefit sharing, community engagement, partnering institutions, proposed field visit by Tullow Oil Ghana, among other technical and logistical factors to drive the project’s implementation.

This was followed by a question and answer session, as well as a photo session to climax the day.