The Lands and Natural Resources Minister, Samuel A. Jinapor, has reiterated government’s commitment to safeguarding the country’s natural resources.
Speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday, May 2, 2023, Mr. Jinapor assured Ghanaians that the Akufo-Addo-led government is determined to protect the resources for current and future generations.
“Let me assure you that the government of President Akufo-Addo remains absolutely determined to protect and preserve these resources for current and future generations. We will not relent.”
“The fight against these illegal enterprises and the cartels in our forest reserves will not be an event but a process. What is important is the commitment to protect and preserve these resources which we are fully determined to do. We remain fully focused on this goal,” he said.
He added that: “that is why in addition to all the measures we are putting in place to protect our forest reserves including the suspension of recognizance, prospecting and or exploration in forest reserves, except in exceptional circumstances, the ban on the harvesting, salvaging, trading, exporting and importing of rosewood, and the ban on the issuance of the convention on international trading in endangered species of wild fauna and flora cites permits for the export of rosewood.”
The minister further indicated that the government has introduced many initiatives, that have helped protect the resources.
“We have also embarked on an aggressive afforestation and reforestation program through initiatives such as the Green Ghana project, the forest plantation strategy, the youth in afforestation program, the youth in plantation, established as an occupation program, the Ghana red plus strategy and the forest investment program. Through these initiatives, we are by the day increasing our forest estate, while protecting existing ones,” he said.
