Minister Asks Youth To Stop Galamsey, Plant More Trees

News Ghana, Latest Updates and Breaking News of Ghana, James Kweku Baako, https://newsghana.com.gh/minister-asks-youth-to-stop-galamsey-plant-more-trees/Water pollution and indiscriminate deforestation through illegal mining, nicknamed galamsey, have slowed down Ghana’s environmental protection agenda for several years.

To help arrest these national menaces, the Central Regional Minister, Eduamoah Ekow Panyin Okyere, has procured a hundred acres of land from the Oboyo Forest Reserve in the Central and Eastern Regional Political Districts to cultivate farm produce and to also own 40 per cent of trees be planted in the forest in the next fifteen years.Hon Eduamoah Ekow Panyin Okyere made the disclosure when he visited the depleted portions of Oboya Forest Reserve, where a pair of twin brothers, Atta Kakra and Atta Panyin, formerly engaged in illegal mining, have vowed to plant trees to return the forest to its past glory.The minister commended Atta Kakra and Atta Panyin for turning over a new leaf by shunning galamsey.



He also pledged to liaise with respective state agencies and non-governmental organisations to support their aforestation agenda.Hon Eduamoah Ekow Panyin Okyere recalled that one day he and some state security officials attempted to arrest some people mining illegally in the Prah River. Although most absconded, Atta Kakra and Atta Panyin surrendered and pledged to refrain from the galamsey activities.

He said the twin brothers, who blamed their past illegal mining activities on unemployment and the fight for economic survival, have since walked the talk and gained his trust.The minister mentioned that Atta Kakra and Atta Panyin have vowed to support the government’s afforestation drive by working with him to plant several trees to bring back life into the depleted forest and secure the water bodies from pollution and drying up.Hon Eduamoah Ekow Panyin Okyere noted that Ghana has experienced significant forest depletion, losing 1.

64 million hectares of tree cover between 2001 and 2023, a 24 per cent decrease since 2000 because of mining.He hoped that if 19.7 per cent of the current unemployed youth accept tree planting initiatives and agriculture, something so dear to President John Dramani Mahama, it would solve the unemployment issues, ensure food security in the country and of course protect the nation’s water bodies from contamination.

However, Mr Eduamoah Ekow Panyin Okyere noted with concern that creating jobs through farming is capital intensive, explaining, that about GHS1 000 000 would be needed to execute the project successfully.Oboyo Forest ReserveThe minister estimated that he would need GHS14 000 to plant trees on one acre of land for 4 years.Since he cannot single-handedly bear the project cost, Hon Eduamoah Ekow Panyin Okyere pleaded with President John Dramani Mahama, religious bodies and concerned individuals to support the youth who want to venture into farming or tree planting to save the earth, ensure food security, and reduce unemployment.

The twin brothers, Atta Panyin and Atta Kakra, told the media that they regretted their past illegal mining activities. The twins said even though they knew about galamseys’ negative impacts on human lives and the environment, hunger and peer pressure compelled them to act indifferently.The former galamsey operators pleaded with those mining in the nation’s water bodies to discontinue and find alternative means of survival.

The Range Supervisor in charge of the Oboyo Forest Reserve, Emmanuel Peprah, disclosed that 100 acres of the land have been allocated to the Central Regional Minister for onward distribution to those who are prepared to work and follow the specifications of the Forestry Reserve.He indicated that the beneficiaries would comply with the “modified Tonja system” which mandates them to clear the land, plant food crops, and intercrop them with the new breeds of timber for five years.He explained further that the farmers would take care of the forest till the trees were ready for harvest in 15 years.

Mr Peprah revealed that the government would benefit 60 per cent of the timbers, and 40 per cent, including crops would go to the farmers. News Ghana, Latest Updates and Breaking News of Ghana, James Kweku Baako, https://newsghana.com.

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