“Young People to become agents of change” – Forestry Commission

ACCRA, 18 Nov (AIF SHOW, E.K.Bensah)-Mr. Yaw Kwakye of the Climate Change Unit at the Forestry Commission says he wants young people “to become agents of change” on climate change. Speaking in an exclusive interview with Africa in Focus Show recently, the Head of Climate Change said that to this end, a campaign, dubbed “REDD-eye” would be launched on 21 November at the headquarters as part of activities to sensitize the youth to become involved in fighting climate change.

Although the Forestry Commission has a mandate to protect resources of the country, and ensure posterity is left with, as Kwakye put it, “better forest endowment than we inherited”, they have spent an inordinate amount of time working on climate change – specifically REDD+.  An acronym for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation, with the + representing activities that offer co-benefits such as biodiversity conservation, sustainable forest management and carbon stocks enhancement, REDD+ is an activity whose successful implementation will help reduce the impacts of climate change in developing countries like Ghana.

Yaw Kwakye believes forests are of immense benefits, and have both tangible and intangible benefits. The tangible ones include timber and timber products, with the intangible ones representing the wildlife, which provides an important “component of our food (protein), particularly for our forest-dependent communities”, he added. The problem, he went on, has been an over-harvesting of wildlife “to such an extent [they have been] unable to sustain wildlife population because of over-hunting.”

According to the Forestry Commission official, “the forest provides protection for water heads, which form sources of various important rivers in this country, including Atiwa Forest”, which serves 75 percent of the Greater Accra region.

Pressed on some of the planned activities, Mr.Kwakye said that there would be two major activities: the first is the “REDD Eye” Campaign. The other is the First National REDD+ Forum, which will be held on 25 November.

Under the auspices of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, the Climate Change Unit will together with the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology & Innovation (MESTI), launch the REDD Eye campaign.  The idea of these two activities is to sell and secure buy-in for the REDD+ mechanisms from Ghanaians.

Scheduled for Saturday, 21 November, the objective of the campaign is to create awareness among the youth, who are considered future leaders of Ghana. By targeting them early, the Commission believes they can be sensitized to plant and nurture trees as one of the ways to mitigate climate change. Those invited included second-cycle schools and youth groups across the country. There will be presentations from youthful resource people on a number of climate change-related issues, including the impacts of it on Ghana; impacts of deforestation and forest degradation in Ghana; and an overview of REDD+ and Ghana's Emission Reduction programme.

There will ultimately be “REDD EYE” Clubs established in various schools, where sensitization, tree-planting and other REDD+ activities will be implemented to assist in the fight against climate change. There will also be a nation-wide campaign in all ten regions, which purpose would be to sensitize the youth on climate change.

The second most important activity is that of the first-ever National REDD+ Forum, which is organized by the National REDD+ Secretariat of the Forestry Commission, which aim is to climax activities to sensitize Ghanaians and obtain buy-in for the REDD+ mechanism
Planned for 25 November at the Accra International Conference Centre, the theme for the event is “Conserving our Forests for Better Lives and a Better Climate”.

On the bill as keynote speaker is Ghana's former president and the UN Special Envoy for Climate Change H.E. John Agyeman Kuffuor. The Chief Executive of the Forestry Commission, Mr.Samuel Afari Dartey, will launch Ghana's National REDD+ Strategy, while Mr. Ishmael Yamson, Chairman of Unilever Ghana, will chair the event.

Some of the topics for discussion include “REDD+, the State of Play”; “National Efforts to Combat Climate Change”; the role of the private sector in addressing climate change; and mobilizing climate finance in Ghana. An interactive session will follow the presentations, where participants will obtain the opportunity to ask questions to resource people. There will also be an exhibition by REDD+ actors as a side event, including musical performances by Climate Change Ambassadors Okyeame Kwame and MUSIGA President Bice Osei Kuffuor (Obuor).

The event is open to the public, and Mr. Yaw Kwakye wants people to “think development; think sustainability; think REDD+!”

ENDs

COMING UP!>>Ep.50: A Review of West Africa Drug Policy Network (WADPN) Media Training

Episode #50:

A Review of West Africa Drug Policy Network (WADPN) Media Training

We want to use  the 50th edition of the show to primarily review and assess the training journalists underwent on 5 August here in Accra. 

Organised by the Ghana Chapter of the West Africa Drug Policy Network, the objective of the training was to educate the media to appreciate the complexities inherent in reporting drug policy issues. 

Buried in the training is a desire to shift mindsets around how drug policy is reported from a law-enforcement perspective, where the drug-user is vilified and criminalised to the point where they are treated with a level of dignity.

That said, no paradigm-shifting will occur without an assessment of how journalists found the programme. It is for this reason we will speak to two journalists to share their views, and offer recommendations on the way forward for the Media to better-appreciate drug policy.

Call us on the following numbers when we open the phone lines at 14h30 GMT

+233(0)289.000.931 // +233(0)289.931.000

Join us if you can at 1pm on 11 August, 2015.

Guiding questions

• ·       What was rationale for training media on drug policy?
• ·       What did the journalists learn – if anything?
• ·       How do journalists assess the training programme? What recommendations do they have for improvement?
• ·       Why is the media important in conversations around drug policy?
• ·       What is the way forward for the workshop?

Guests in the studio:

Ø  Hilda Mbong, Lawyer; Rapporteur; independent observer

Ø  Juana Akuamoa Boateng, Assistant Producer, AIF Research & Communications Unit

Ø  Maame Agyeiwaa, Chronicle newspaper, Ghana

Guests on the line:

Ø  Genevieve Dadzie, Programme Officer, AAEA Secretariat, Electoral Commission, Ghana @13h15 to speak to us about the 3^rd Continental Election Management Bodies Forum/General Assembly Meeting of the Association of African Election Authorities, held 22-24 July, 2015

Ø  Yaw Kwakye, Manager, Climate Change Unit, Forestry Commission @13h30 to brief us about mini-retreat for journalists organized by Forestry Commission in Koforidua, Eastern Region of Ghana from 5-6 August, 2015 on Communication messaging around Emissions-Reduction Programme/REDD+

Ø  Jonas Nyabor, Radio Univers 105.7FM/Ghanahealthnest.com @14h00

PRESS RELEASE FROM GHANA's FORESTRY COMMISSION: "CLOSE SEASON 2015"

PRESS RELEASE

“CLOSE SEASON 2015”

Wildlife has been the source of our heritage and livelihoods. It plays a very important role in the development of a nation particularly Africa and Ghana for that matter. It features prominently in festivals, the arts, drama, folklore and serves as totems. It also provides animal protein in the diet of many people, ranging from insects through reptiles to mammals. Additionally, access to bushmeat provides an important safety net for most rural people in times of economic stress.

Wildlife also plays an important role in Ghana’s tourism industry, and there is undoubtedly a great potential for future development of ecotourism centered on the country’s national parks and reserves.

Nevertheless, wildlife is being over hunted and it is reaching a point where the dwindling number of animals is threatening the food security of both rural and urban communities, survival of the species and the integrity of Ghana as a signatory to international conventions. This state of affairs has been mainly due to non- observance of the rules and regulations governing hunting of wild animals coupled with inadequate support from the law enforcement agencies to assure sustainable uses of wildlife.

One of the measures to regulate hunting and ensure sustainable use of the resource is the institution of a CLOSE SEASON that begins from August 1^st to December 1^st every year. This is the period where most wild animals, particularly mammals, such as Duiker, Bush pig, Honey badger, Pangolin, Porcupines and Royal antelope to mention but a few, are being followed by their young . It is therefore, imperative that the animals are given a respite from hunting to wean their young for a successful recruitment into the next generation. Non-observance of the close season therefore, undermines the very existence of wild animal populations and deprives Ghanaians of a valuable resource for sustainable development. Only grasscutters are exempt from the Close Season but license has to be obtained to hunt it.

It must, however, be emphasised that not all the animals produce their young and wean them within the four months in question. The gestation period for elephant for instance is 22 months, Bongo: 9.5 months, Red River Hog: 4-5 months, Yellow backed duiker, Black duiker (Forest Duikers): 7-8 months, and Bush buck: 6-7 months. Therefore, to find a generic CLOSE SEASON for all animals is impossible because that will mean a total ban on hunting the whole year round. It is in this vein that by L.I.685 it is an offence for anybody to hunt, capture or destroy any young animals or female animal accompanied by their young.

Our appeal therefore is that all hunters, be they professional, trophy, leisure and dealers in the wildlife enterprise to temporarily stop their activities during the close season and also be circumspect during the open season.

What we look forward to from the public is that people will not patronise the sale of all bushmeat, dead, alive or smoked except for grasscutters so that hunters will find it uneconomical to hunt these animals for the expected aim to be achieved.

We are  again appealing to all Ghanaians especially, the police to arrest and prosecute such offenders by notifying the nearest Wildlife Division and Forestry Commission Offices or the Executive Director, Wildlife Division on Tel. 028-9109683/ 028-9115499, Accra.

Signed by:

Executive Director

Wildlife Division, Forestry Commission

For further information contact

Corporate Affairs & Media Relations Unit

Forestry Commission

P.O Box 434, Ministries

Accra

0244-643780 / 0244-090974

AFRICA IN FOCUS >> Coming up on 18 November, 2014: Deforestation, Climate Change; and Matters Arising(3)

Climate Change; Deforestation; and Matters Arising(3)

 

There is now what some might consider compelling evidence of the planet warming up.  Evidence recently released by scientists from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has shown that climate change is occurring at a faster rate than the world could ever have imagined.

Statistics from Ghana’s inventory of forestry stock indicate that Ghana has lost a chunk of its forest cover since 1994, despite the inevitable warming of the planet. It is believed that if sufficient attention is not given to redress this imbalance of loss of forest cover, the country will be all the worse for it. This is because lack of forest cover allows direct exposure of sunlight and the sun’s rays to dry up the already-polluted and fast-dwindling water –bodies.

Research indicates that developing countries are most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change as their livelihoods are highly-dependent on climate-sensitive sectors, such as agriculture. Given that Ghanaian peasant farmers practice rain-fed agriculture, depending on weather patterns for their farming, and tend to include slash-and-burn methods that prove to be unsustainable and harmful to the Earth’s atmosphere, this significantly-contributes to global warming. Consequently, Ghana has witnessed higher temperatures than normal, as well as inconsistent rainfall patterns.

One way in which Ghana has been trying to deal with this has been through the use of the REDD+ mechanism, which is being coordinated by the National REDD+ Secretariat of the Forestry Commission.

On 29 July, AIF commenced what would be a series of editions examining and understanding Ghana, and Africa's forestry sector.

Having established from that programme, and from the 23^rd September edition that reprised the issue of deforestation and climate change, that deforestation is a major issue in understanding the sector, we want to dedicate the 24th edition of Africa in Focus from the premise that apart from the fact that deforestation is an acknowledged challenge for the country, what is it that civil society groups like ABANTU are doing to sensitise Ghanaians about its impact on women.

Finally, in looking at the way forward, we will find out why Civil society organisation Civic Response is convening a National Forest Forum, and why it is important in facilitating governance on natural resources, and most importantly, helping nip deforestation in the bud!

Guiding Questions to be answered:

·        What do we still need to know about deforestation, and climate change, and some of the challenges associated with it in Ghana? (Forestry Commission/Forestwatch/ABANTU)

·        What were some of the outcomes of the Forestry Commission’s National Roadshow on REDD, and what is the way forward for the Forestry Commission?

·        What is the National Forest Forum, and how does it help facilitate governance on forests?

Guests in the studio:

Ø  Robert Bamfo, Head of Climate Change Unit, Forestry Commission, Ghana

Ø  Ellen Eyison Dzah, Programmes Manager, ABANTU

On the line

Ø  Samuel Mawutor, Civic Response/ForestWatch @14h00

NATIONAL REDD+ ROAD SHOW STARTS IN DAMONGO ON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2014

PRESS RELEASE

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

NATIONAL REDD+ ROAD SHOW STARTS IN DAMONGO ON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2014

 

The National REDD+ Road Show event, which was launched on Friday, September 19^th, 2014, during a media interaction at the Forestry Commission in Accra, starts at Damongo in the West Gonja District of the Northern Region from Wednesday, 1^st to Thursday, 2^nd  October.

 

It is the first ever Road Show event of the forestry sector intended to create awareness among Ghanaians about REDD+ and its potential to help Ghana to mitigate climate change as well as enable the country adapt to its impacts.  The theme for the Road Show is “Reducing Forest Loss and Climate Change Impacts throughREDD+; Our Collective Responsibility.”

 

REDD+ is an acronym for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation. The Plus sign (+) represents activities that offer co-benefits such as biodiversity conservation, sustainable forest management and carbon stocks enhancement.

 

From Damongo, the Road Show moves to Dormaa Ahenkro in the Brong Ahafo Region from Wednesday, 8^th to Friday, 10^th October, 2014. The next venue is Tarkwa in the Western Region from Wednesday, 15^th to Friday, 17^th October, 2014. From Tarkwa, the next event will be at Hohoe in the Volta Region from Wednesday, 22^nd to Friday, 24^th  October, 2014. The REDD+ Road Show event will be climaxed with a National REDD+ Forum in Accra on Friday, 7^th November, 2014, at the National Theatre in Accra.

 

The National REDD+ Road Show event is a country-wide mass communication campaign involving branding of vehicles, endorsement messages, radio discussions, float, road procession, sensitization of pupils and students, interactions with traditional authorities and local community members, film shows and durbars. The National REDD+ Secretariat of the Forestry Commission is spearheading the campaign.

 

 

The purpose is to "sell REDD+" to the Ghanaian populace, drawing attention to unsustainable land-use practices leading to deforestation and forest degradation, and their negative impacts including global warming and loss of livelihood opportunities. The event is further intended to galvanize public support for actions and measures targeted at addressing the drivers of deforestation and forest degradation in Ghana.

 

Globally, REDD+ has been recognized as an activity whose successful implementation will help reduce the impacts of climate change particularly in developing countries like Ghana. The preparation towards implementing REDD+ in Ghana, has been on-going since 2007.

 

Under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), developed countries have committed to provide financial incentives to developing countries that have large tracts of forests to help them to expand, nurture and protect their forests. This will ensure that forests continue to play their natural roles which include absorption of excess carbon dioxide and other gases in the atmosphere in order to prevent the dangerous warming of the earth. The Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) have established that the continuous releasing or emission of a number of identified gases including carbon dioxide and methane (through mostly human activities) into the atmosphere has resulted in global warming leading to climate change.

 

The National REDD+ Roadshow Planning Committee, the Forestry Commission and partner institutions urge the general public, particularly residents of the various towns to participate in the various activities for the REDD+ Road Show. They should come on board, join in the procession and support the battle to save our forests and reduce the impacts of climate change.

 

Issued by the National REDD+ Secretariat

Forestry Commission

Accra

30^th September, 2014

 

For further information contact:

Email: info.hq@fcghana.org

Website: www.fcghana.org/nrs