The government will establish a National Planning Committee to carry out the new flagship programme, the Green Street Project, which will plant trees in the median and avenues of the nation's regional capitals, according to Samuel A. Jinapor, minister of lands and natural resources, on Monday, July 25, 2022.
He said that all of Ghana's major cities, including the capitals of Accra, Takoradi, Kumasi, and Tamale, among others, will be beautified and made more attractive as part of the initiative, which will be led by his deputy, Benito Owusu-Bio.
On July 20, 2022, during the Ministry of Information's news conference for the Minister, Mr. Jinapor stated that "the strategy and the aim is to plant trees in the avenues."
According to him, "most of the developed countries have these implemented in their countries, London is an example, Paris is an example, and even certain African countries like South Africa." He then cited instances of nations that have used similar tactics to beautify their cities.
The Minister also listed several interventions that had been made in the forestry sector over the previous year, highlighting some of them as an outright ban on Rosewood harvesting, salvaging, trading, exporting, and importing, the creation of an ecotourism handbook, and the suspension of all reconnaissance, prospecting, and/or exploration activities in forest reserves, save in exceptional cases.
He said that in order to ensure strict adherence to these regulations, the Forestry Commission developed a fast reaction squad that collaborates with other security authorities. He stated that Cabinet had already given the go-ahead for the conversion of 156 timber concessions and permits into Timber Utilization Contracts (TUCs), for review and ratification by Parliament. He continued, "By the time we complete this process, we will become the first African country to meet the European Union's (EU) requirement to trade in legal timber and the second in the World, after Indonesia, and it will be a major boost to the fight against deforestation."
Regarding the forestry industry, Mr. Jinapor noted that according to early data from the 2022 Green Ghana Project, more over 25 seedlings were provided on Green Ghana Day. He advised everyone who planted trees to care for them until they are fully grown.
Regarding mining, the Minister of Lands stated that the government of President Akufo-Addo is investing in value addition to maintain the value of the Mineral resources in-country, emphasising "the actual worth of our mineral resources lay in value addition."
The Precious Minerals Marketing Company is working with stakeholders to establish a central market place for gold to support local trade, which will, in his opinion, reposition Ghana as the leading producer of Gold in Africa and the sixth in the world. He continued that the government had established a 400kg capacity gold refinery through a public-private partnership, which is now fully completed and prepared to begin refining the nation's gold.
The government is committed to diversifying our mineral resource base to include additional minerals such as lithium, cobalt, clay, and salt, among others, Mr. Jinapor said in a statement highlighting the diversification of the mineral resources base. He cited his recent presentation to the parliament on the government's strategy for developing lithium and other green minerals, which are regarded as the minerals of the future, as a prime example.
Regarding the growth of mining villages, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources highlighted that the Minerals Development Fund still uses mineral royalties to fund financial resources for the benefit of mining communities.
He emphasises that the community's building will start in earnest and that the government is likewise dedicated to transforming the Appiatse community into a prototype Green community.
Minister Jinapor stated that the Ministry has acquired five patrol boats, which will be utilised by the security forces to monitor and safeguard Ghana's waterways, as a more long-lasting solution to the contamination of river bodies.
He boasted that these boats will be stationed on the Black Volta, Ankobrah, Prah, and Birim rivers by the end of the next month.
The Minerals Commission is putting the Minerals and Mining Regulations, 2020 (L.I. 2404) into effect to keep track of all the machinery and tools used in mining activities and to make sure they are utilised legally.
In addition to the 100 mercury-free gold processing machines that were put into operation last year, 300 more of them will be purchased for green and clean mining via the National Alternative Employment and Livelihood Programme (NAELP).
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