MILLION TREES AFRICA PROJECT TAKES OFF IN SEPTEMBER

A four-decade sub-regional initiative to help increase forest cover, improve quality of forest cover and improve crucial ecosystem services provided by forests, such as hydrological services as well as combating Climate Change in Africa will be launched in Ghana in September this year. The project dubbed “Million Tree Africa Project” (M-TAP) is an initiative of Global Media Foundation, human rights media advocacy organization based in Ghana.  The Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation, Raphael Godlove Ahenu Jnr. who made this known at a Youth Forum in Sunyani to commemorate this year’s World Environment Day said the project is aimed at increasing forest-based incomes for millions of households across Africa by 2050.   

The project, which the CEO of GLOMEF, Raphael Godlove Ahenu Jnr. noted is expected to cost over millions of dollars, will witness the plating of about one million trees across Africa by the Foundation.  According to him, under the project communities, youth groups, students and religious bodies across Africa will be mobilized, empowered and encouraged to plant trees. He said currently as part of its pilot project, the foundation is negotiating with nananom to acquire about 55 hectares of land in Brong-Ahafo to kick start the project in September. Mr. Ahenu Jnr. called for policies that would conserve and improve the quality of our forests, while generating employment and socio-economic returns for local communities. The CEO of GLOMEF further called for an integrated approach to prioritize conservation and sustainable management of forests, to enable forests to play a critical role in greening the economy of African countries. He stressed the need for accelerated investments for protecting forest resources in Africa. Research he said has identified forestry as one of the ten central sectors capable of propelling a transition to a low carbon, resource efficient, employment-generating future if backed by investment and forward-looking policies, Touching on how to fund the programme, Mr. Ahenu Jnr said the foundation will embark on fundraising tour across the globe to raise funds and is also positioning to partner 14 international organizations and secretariats with substantial programmes on forests which include, FAO, ITTO, IUFRO, GEF, UNCCD, UNFF, UNFCCC, UNDP. In a related Development, the Brong-Ahafo Network of NGOs (BANGO) has accused Officials of the Forestry Commission for cohering with illegal chainsaw operators to destroy the country’s forest cover. In a statement to mark this year’s World Environment Day, BANGO called on government to take stringent measures to help reduce deforestation in the country.  The Acting Chairman of BANGO, Peter Subaab called for stiffer punishment of offenders to serve as deterrent to others.  He also urged Environmental NGOs and CBOs to intensify their work in the sector in order to reduce environmental degradation.