In Koforidua, a new office building has been constructed to manage the Forestry Commission's operations in the Eastern Region.
The building has 13 offices, a conference room with seating for 60, a water storage room, and other rooms, in addition to a sizable plot of ground for growing trees.
A significant portion of the region's arable land is made up mostly of forest, some of which is protected.
Samuel Abu Jinapor, the minister of lands and natural resources, urged the members of the Forestry Commission to step up efforts to safeguard and conserve the forest, particularly the reserves, at a ceremony to officially open the facility last Wednesday.
49 Reserves of forests
According to him, the government established the regional office in order for the personnel of the Forestry Commission to verify that the region's 49 forest reserves were adequately preserved.
The government would help the officers in carrying out their responsibilities without fear or favour, Mr. Jinapor said them.
The modern office block
protection of the forest
He instructed the authorities to create a perimeter around the forest reserves to keep out trespassers, including illicit miners, chainsaw operators, and farmers, particularly those growing cocoa.
The minister emphasised that in order to maintain the forest reserves, authorities must carry out their operations in accordance with both national and forestry commission legislation.
Mr. Jinapor called on the employees to get rid of the illegal miners attacking the Atiwa Forest Reserve and other protected areas due to their activities as galamseyers.
The minister further requested that the staff forbid officials from visiting the forest areas for any purpose, including political activities.
planting trees
In order to ensure the success of the nation's afforestation effort, Mr. Jinapor advised the workers to take advantage of the current rainy season by engaging in tree-planting activities.
He vowed that the government would safeguard forest reserves across the nation, not only in the Eastern Region.
tree types
The Minister was told by John Allotey, Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Commission, that several tree types will be planted in the large area around the regional office.
According to him, doing so would show how ready the commission is to guide the various communities in the area in planting trees in order to carry out the government's afforestation policy successfully.
The regional office, according to Mr. Allotey, would manage the operations of the seven forest districts of Kade, Oda, Begoro, Donkorkrom, Kyebi, Somanya, and Bunso.
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