The Bono East Regional Forestry Commission has organized a one-day workshop for the Techiman Traditional Council.
The workshop, held at the palace of the Paramount Chief of Techiman, aimed to educate the council about the Forestry Commission’s Tullow Program, a high-integrity, jurisdictional-based Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD+) program which seeks to promote sustainable environmental practices and tackle climate change.
The REDD+ is a financing mechanism funded by Tullow Ghana Limited to help mitigate climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emission associated with deforestation. The project will incentives countries to protect their forest and invest in sustainable forestry practices.
Th program is part of measures put in place by Tullow Ghana Limited to achieve Tullow’s 2030 Net Zero target for Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (on a net equity basis). The primary focus of Tullow’s Net Zero strategy is on decarbonizing its operated production facilities in Ghana in order to eliminate routine flaring by the end of 2025.
During the workshop, officials from the Forestry Commission highlighted the importance of the project, which involves tree planting, the modified taungya system, enrichment planting, effective fire management system, and other initiatives designed to combat deforestation and improve agricultural yields.
Addressing the media, the Bono East Regional Director of the Ghana Forestry Commission, Mr. Dictson Adjei Sakyi, disclosed that the program will focus on approximately 2 million hectares of land across 14 priority districts in the Bono and Bono East regions with Techiman North, Nkoranza South, Nkoranza North, Kintampo North, Kintampo South, Pru West, Pru East, and Atebubu Amantin being the project area within the Bono East region.
He also stressed on the need for collaboration with traditional leaders to ensure the successful implementation of the project.
“The Forestry Commission’s Tullow project in transition zones has begun. We are here to meet with our traditional leaders to solicit ideas on how best to implement the project in order to maximize its benefits.
”We also seek the support of the traditional leaders because we at the Forestry Commission strongly believe that without the support of our traditional leaders, we will not achieve the full potential of this project.” He said.
Mr. Dictson Adjei Sakyi further disclosed that under the REDD+ initiative, the Forestry Commission will provide alternative livelihood schemes for farmers and other individuals who depend on the forest for their livelihoods, in order to reduce their dependency on the country’s forest belt. He said: “In addition to the financial benefits, this project will also contribute to the fight against climate change. If we successfully implement it, we will not only see better yields from our farms but also enjoy improved weather conditions.
“We will also introduce alternative livelihood schemes to provide new sources of income for those who depend on our forests. This will help reduce the pressure on our forests and promote sustainability.”
The workshop provided an opportunity for the Forestry Commission to seek the support of the Techiman Traditional Council, acknowledging their vital role in the project’s success.
Nana Takyi Fri II, Techiman Krotrehene and Acting President of the Techiman Traditional Council, pledged the council’s support for the program. He urged the people of Techiman to support the initiative, which aims to reduce emissions and mitigate the effects of climate change on farmers and communities in the transition zone.
“Human activities contribute significantly to carbon emission and that is very bad because it affects the ozone layer and leads to climate change.
“We are not getting the maximum yields from our farm because of the negative effect of climate change and the only way to combat climate change is by planting more trees. Trees need carbon dioxide for photosynthesis and release oxygen. So, if we plant more trees, we can help combat climate change.
“This project does not only seek to battle climate change but also provides an opportunity for communities and countries that participate in tree planting to earn money. This is a great initiative, and I encourage everyone to get involved when the time comes.” He said.
Source: Elvisanokyenews.com
