The Bolgatanga Manager of the Forest Commission Henry Opoku Boateng has said, one of the challenges that affected last year’s tree planting in the region is as a result the nonavailability of recruited Youth in Afforestation who abandoned their work post because of the government’s inability to pay them their deserved monthly allowance of Ghc 400.00.
The Forestry Commission Manager told Apenewsgh.com that last year, they were able to distribute about Two Hundred and Four Thousand (204,000) seedlings.
He said, out of the 204,000 seedlings planted at the forest reserve last year, currently only 40 percent survived.
Meanwhile, explaining the challenge, Mr. Boateng said: “We have a series of fire outbreaks, long period of drought and also, grazing, the Youth in Afforestation also relaxed, they were not working because their allowance wasn’t coming. So, what we were expecting, we couldn’t achieve it because normally they helped in the maintenance but currently because of their absence, the place is very bushy.
“Government is owning them their allowances. For them, we don’t have control over them these days, because an angry man is a hungry man. So, if you engaged them and you are not very careful, they won’t be happy with you because is not their fault. Most of them, were using their motorbike to the field and they also buy fuel”. The Forestry Boss told Apexnewsgh
Asking how many months the Youth in Afforestation are owned by the government, the Forestry boss said, the last time they received their allowance was in June 2022.
He further revealed that after planting the tree in September in 2022, some of the recruited Youth in Afforestation decided to stop and as at that time, the government was already owning them for 5 months, and currently not all of them are working.
Meanwhile, giving an update about the upcoming 2023 Green Ghana Day celebration, Mr. Boateng said: “We are doing the 2023 Regional Launch together, we are doing it at Gambrigo Senior High in Bolga East. The Regional Minister and all the dignitaries will be there. Because of the rain, we thought it will be appropriate if do the ceremonial launch and wait for the rain before we continue”.
In the case of the Upper East Region, the Forestry District Manager said the challenge affecting tree planting in the region are many.
Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana
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