Takoradi, May 6, GNA - A customer service centre of the Forestry Commission for the protection of the forests and wildlife for stakeholders, was launched at Takoradi on Thursday.

Mr Tawiah Amprofi, District Chief Executive for Mpohor-Wassa East, launched the centre on behalf of Mr Philip Kwesi Nkrumah, Shama Ahanta East Metropolitan chief executive.

Mr Nkrumah said the facility, established on pilot basis to offer support and educate tree growers, loggers, farmers and people living at the fringes of the country's forests is the twenty-first centre to be launched in the country and the seventh in the region He said if successfully operated within one year, the centres would be replicated through out the country to assist save the Country's forests from destruction through illegal human activities.

Mr Nkrumah said the adoption of a new approaches to the protection and management of the County's forests and wildlife resources by the Forestry Commission would enhance efforts being made to halt the destruction of the resources.

He urged officials of the centre to provide quality service to enhance the implementation of strategies and programmes of the forestry sector. Mr Atta Paidoo, acting human resource director, of the Forestry Commission, said the Commission had involved communities, traditional authorities, landowners and other stakeholders in it programmes to ensure positive results.

He said the Government had secured 75 billion cedis for the promotion of tree planting and plantation development to rejuvenate degraded forests.

Mr Paidoo urged interested groups to contact the service centre for information on the disbursement of the funds. Nana Kwamena Damoah II, chief of Mamponso, in addressed read for him, called for collaboration among stakeholders to make reforestation programmes successful. 6 May 04