Restore Local project launched at Kyebi

An initiative to restore Ghana's degraded lands especially the forests has been launched at Kyebi in the Eastern Region last Wednesday.

The project dubbed Restore Local which is under the initiative of World Resources Institute (WRI), an International Organisation involves community participation in the restoration of the ecology.

The event which was attended by a number of dignitaries such as the Okyehene, Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin, the Akyem Abuakwa Traditionsl Area Queen Mother, Nana Adutwumwaa Dokua, representatives from the WRI, Forestry Commission as well as members of the community showcased the need for the restoration of the ecology which was preserve by the communities forebearers.

The Director of the Restoration Initiative at the WRI, Sean Dewitt who addressed the gathering said his outfit decided to reach out to the people in the communities on how best to restore the degraded environment using natural resources particularly the planting of seeds.

He stated that the WRI which was currently helping 35 countries in Africa to restore their ecosystems, particularly degraded forests included Ghana in the Restore Locals Project because of the confidence the organisation had on the people.

Mr Dewitt therefore, entreated community members to embrace the initiative to enable the Restore Local Project to succeed and sustain for generations yet unborn to also continue such forests restoration practices.

The Landscape Manager for the Ghana Cocoa Belt, Eric Lartey said the initiative was not a new one and that it was to ignite the process effectively and efficiently to bring back the country's degraded forests.

That, he indicated involved the entire members of the communities.

African countries Ghana, Mr Lartey emphasised was not the only country where the ecology had been degraded and that it also affected a number of African countries such as Kenya and  Rwanda among others.

Challenge

He however, told the gathering that one of the biggest challenge facing the restoration process was illegal mining popularly called galamsey.

Mr Lartey expressed the hope that, with the commitment of dealing with illegal mining by the government and other relevant stakeholders, the problem would be addressed.

He also indicated that the government alone should not be left to deal with the issue and that all hands must be on deck to support the initiative to achieve its intended purpose.

Mr Lartey stated that his outfit was building the capacity of the people in the communities, chiefs as well as other support especially providing funds to ensure the sustainability of the programme.

Achievements

He said a lot had been achieved in the Ghana's Cocoa Belt which included 22 restoration champions received capacity building, 2.8 million trees planted, 7,681 hectares of degraded lands had been restored,7,49 full time  jobs created and 4,715 part time jobs also created.

According to Mr Lartey, "Our strategy was to intensify and scale up locally led high quality and targeted restoration to achieve equitable landscape level impacts.

The Eastern Regional Manager of the Forestry Commission, Isaac Noble Eshun who represented the Chief Executive, Hugh Clement Brown said Ghana's forests had been impacted by various pressures such as population and economic growth.

He indicated that the situation had resulted in high rates of deforestation and forests degradation principally driven by agricultural expansion, wildfires, logging and fuel wood harvesting, mining and infrastructural development.

Causes

He indicated that the causes of such state of affairs could be attributed to uncontrolled and unsustainable use of lands outside the forest reserves in the past leading to deforestation and degradation, making such lands unsuitable for even farming.

Mr Brown cited as an example the lands outside the Atiwa Forest Reserves that had largely been decimated by mining activities.

He said many individuals who were engaged in illegal mining had been arrested and were at various stages of investigations and prosecution.

Ecosystem

For his part, the Okyenhene, Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin, who chaired the event, lauded the initiative but expressed worry about the impact of environmental degradation on the ecosystem and its associated effects on developmental growth.

He said local authorities must be given the chance in tackling issues such as galamsey, deforestation and illegal timber logging in Ghana's forest reserves.

Okyehene told the gathering that he and his people were committed and ready to support Restore Local Project to bring full benefits to the communities 

Writer's email: haruna.wunpini@graphic.com.gh