MORE INCENTIVES FOR FOREST PLANTATION DEVELOPMENT WORKERS (PAGE 21)

THE Minister of Lands, Forestry and Mines, Mrs Esther Obeng-Dapaah, has given the assurance that the government will continue to provide incentives for workers who are engaged in forest plantation development to resuscitate the country’s forest cover.
Consequently, she has urged the workers not to hesitate to make their problems and other needs, which could help them to give of their best known to their respective supervisors.
Mrs Obeng-Dapaah gave the assurance when she paid a working visit to the Brong Ahafo Region to acquaint herself with the progress of work on plantations established outside forest reserves, which were being managed with HIPC funds.
The tour was also to enable her to see the operations of some selected timber industries in the region.
The minister was accompanied by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Forestry Commission (FC), Professor Ashie Kotey, the Director of Plantations; Mr F.S. Amoah, the Director of Operations, Mr Alex Boadu; the National Co-ordinator of HIPC Plantations, Nana Osei Yaw Barimah, as well as other officials of the FC and the Forest Services Division (FSD).
Addressing workers engaged on the Yaya Forest Plantation, near Chiraa, Mrs Obeng-Dapaa said the various forest plantations had been established as a result of the extensive degradation of the country’s forest resources.
In September, 2001, the President, Mr J.A. Kufuor, launched the National Forest Plantation Development Project at Ayigbe in the Wenchi Municipality, aimed at whipping up the enthusiasm of individuals and groups to undertake reforestation programmes of degraded forests in their respective communities.
Mrs Obeng-Dapaah stated that the programme to reforest all degraded areas was very dear to the heart of the government, hence its commitment to providing the necessary nurseries, tools and other incentives to communities to undertake their programmes.
The minister and her entourage later visited the Asuo Bomosadu Timbers and Sawmills (ABTS) Limited at Berekum, where she was conducted round by the Managing Director of the company, Mr Ernest Kwame Apraku.
Mr Apraku stated that the company, on its own, was engaged in a massive afforestation programme but needed financial support from the government to sustain its raw material requirement.
The minister also inspected the progress of work at the Oti Yeboah Complex Limited at Abesim, near Sunyani, where she and her entourage were taken round by Mr Fayez Akil, the General Manager of the company.
He said since the establishment of the company in 1993, the workforce had increased from 800 to 1,200.
Mr Akil stated that the company produced lumber of all kinds for local consumption and export.
He said at the ply mill division, plywood of all sizes were produced for local use, while 60 per cent of their products were exported to Nigeria, Benin and other ECOWAS countries.
On the company’s reforestation programme, the general manager indicated that the company had planted a total of 900 acres of teak in the Tain I Forest Reserve and about 300 acres in private plantations at Kobedi, Pede, Chiraa Tanom, Atakrom, Kobede Sreso, Adiembra and Atronie.
He, however, appealed to the minister to assist the company to acquire a forest concession to help increase its production and to create more employment for the people.
According to Mr Akil, the company was producing below capacity due to inadequate raw materials and the high cost of fuel, spare parts and electricity.