Hon. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, MP, Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, in a meeting with the Executive Management Team (EMT) of the Forestry Commission (FC), declared his support to the achievement of the mandate of the Commission. He stated that the Ministry is prepared to work with the vision of the Commission to attain greater heights.
The Minister and his delegation from the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources (MLNR), paid a working visit to FC to familiarise himself with the institution as an agency under the MLNR. The visit comprised of two separate meetings, one with the EMT to discuss challenges and strategise how future initiatives will further ensure an improvement in Ghana’s forest landscape. The other meeting sought to interact with the staff to acquaint with, as well as seek insight into challenges that harbour the day-to-day operations of the Institution.
The Minister stated his excitement for the day’s visit and thanked the EMT of FC for the imperative work they do, saying, “Without this work, this country cannot exist”. He encouraged the EMT to rally behind him in his vision to adequately execute the mandate of the Commission and Ministry as a whole.
Giving the welcome address, the Acting Chief Executive of FC, Dr. Hugh C. A. Brown, expressed his appreciation to the Minister and his team for their presence, despite their demanding schedules.” The Commission is a public service institution in charge of the management, protection and conservation of the country’s forests and wildlife resources through its three (3) main divisions”, he said. With that, he welcomed all present and explained that there will be a presentation, to provide insight into the work of the Commission.
Assisted by the Executive Directors of the three (3) main divisions thus the Forest Services, Wildlife and Timber Industry Development Divisions, as well as the Director for the Climate Change Unit, Dr. Hugh Brown gave a comprehensive presentation detailing the multi-faceted nature of the Forestry Commission, explaining its mandate, functions and a brief history of how the institution merged into a single body. The briefing also discussed strategies aimed at revitalising Ghana’s forest reserves, enhancing biodiversity, and boosting economic benefits from natural resources.
The presentation also outlined key issues befalling the Commission such as forest degradation, wildlife conservation, land tenure systems, and illegal mining while proposing policy reforms and coordinated interventions. It also emphasised sustainable forest management, ecological restoration, and increased stakeholder involvement, including local communities and the private sector.
A key focus of the presentation was the modernisation of the timber industry through a value chain approach, incorporating sustainable raw material supply, value-added processing, and aggressive marketing strategies. Key initiatives include increasing plantation stocks, using alternative and lesser-known wood species, retooling industrial facilities, as well as promoting domestic and international market engagement. The presentation also highlighted the need for research collaborations, quality control, and training to enhance industry competitiveness while capitalising on opportunities from the Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) and Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) processes.
With a strong call for inter-agency coordination and legislative backing, the presentation concluded by urging swift implementation of the strategic initiatives outlined, to ensure that Ghana’s natural resources contribute meaningfully to national development and climate resilience.
The presentation was met with sparse queries, probing clarification on points raised and input on some subjects. The Minister took keen interest in climate change efforts, ecotourism development, FC staff remuneration and security.
The Minister and his Deputy, Hon. Alhaji Yusif Sulemana, MP, met with the staff of FC and encouraged them to continue with the hard work. In his address, Hon. Buah mentioned that there has to be an aspect of FC that is business focused. This implied setting up a private arm dedicated to adding value to forest products such as a furniture company. He fully pledged his support for this venture. This, he said, will help in generating revenue which could be used to motivate staff to boost dedication. The meeting was then climaxed with an interactive session