Benito Owusu-Bio with some of the beneficiaries
Benito Owusu-Bio, the Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources on Saturday, August 7, 2021 inspected some projects being undertaken by the Forest Plantation Management Fund Board.
In the company of officials from the ministry and Forest Plantation Management Fund Board Benito Owusu-Bio visited the Mankraso Forest in the Ahafo Ano South district of the Ashanti Region to abreast himself with progress made on the forest plantation exercise.
Addressing the media after the inspection, Benito Owosu-Bio said he was pleasantly surprised by the strides made by the foresters who were recruited and engaged under the government’s Youth in Afforestation initiative.
He said that owing to the success of the initial projects, government will expand it to other parts of the country to create employment opportunities and also protect the environment from the effect of climate change.
He said that the planting of trees is not only meant to save the country’s forest cover only but also to create a viable economic outlet for the youth and the government.
“They started just two years ago but look at what they have done. When you turn around and see what they’ve done, its really commendable. They have done but this is because they are constantly on the field caring and nurturing the tree because they are also farming. Anytime they come to the farm, they look around and find ways ensuring that the trees are growing.
“We will encourage them to keep it up and in next planting season we’ll scale it up and expand it other districts as well. It is important that we get the youth involved. Of course, we need to get them jobs but some of them have to be on the farm to plant trees and cash crops for the country. They need support from the government and its agencies and we will ensure that they do that.
Benito Owusu-Bio lauded the farmers for their role in assisting the country reduce the effect of climate change and promised assured them of government’s unflinching support.
“You are helping yourself with this project and also helping the country so you are playing a dual role. Government will benefit and also you are helping us tackle climate change so if you want to expand, we will help you,” he assured the workers.
The Youth in Afforestation program was launched in 2018 to help manage the country’s forests, combat desertification, bring an end to land degradation in various parts of the country.
With respect to the Mankraso Forest, the Forest Plantation Management Fund Board engaged 125 youth in 2019 and assigned to them 5 hectares of land to plant local species of timber.
With the pilot project being hugely successful, government is now prepared to implement the module across the country.
Some of the beneficiaries who spoke to the media on the sidelines, praised government for the initiative which they assert has given them jobs.