Sector Minister visits the Forestry Commission

The rapid depletion of Ghana's forest resource base, with its inherent adverse climatic consequences on socio-economic development, has made robust plantation development, more imperative now than ever. My administeration, has, therefore made plantation development and management a cornerstone of my tenure.
The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Honourable Alhaji Collins Dauda declared this commitment when he met with the Management and Staff of the Forestry Commission during a familiarisation visit last February.
According to the Hon. Minister, uncontrollable exploitation of the forest resources portended the loss of a major source of national revenue generation and threatened employment security.
"There is, therefore, the need for a shift in focus in order to blance resource utilisation with long-term (base) sustainability. The only way we can save ourselves and our jobs is to save the forests through plantation development," he declared.
On eco-tourism, the sector Minister envisioned a symbiotic FC-private sector business approach to unearth the huge untapped potential inherent in that sector. He reminded the Commission of its expressed commitment to business-oriented operations and declared: "I want your support, guidance and dertmination to make a change during my admininistrtion."
The Chief Executive of the FC, Prof. Nii Ashie Kotey, lauded the contribution of the Minister to forestry development in Ghana. He explained that with thirteen years experience in forestry behind him, his appointment as the Minister of Lnds and Natureal Resource was the most apt for the sector.
Prof. Kotey pledged that the FC was poised to re-position itself to become the hub of forest industries in the sub-region. He emphasised: "We have a solid human resource which is yet to be paralleled in West Africa and we shall work hard to sustain that status.