Mr. J.M. Allotey, the then Deputy Chief Executive of Forestry Commission, has been sworn in as the substantive Chief Executive of the Commission at the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources.

Mr Allotey’s appointment came after the sudden demise of Mr Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, who was the Chief Executive of the Commission.

At a brief and solemn ceremony, the Minister for Lands & Natural Resources, Kwaku Asomah – Cheremeh, who led Mr J.M Allotey to swear the official, secrecy and allegiance oaths, paid glowing tribute to the late Mr Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie.

Reminiscing his experiences with the late Mr Owusu Afriyie, Hon. Asomah – Cheremeh described him as someone who gave tutelage to a lot of up and coming politicians on how to engage the masses. He said Mr Owusu Afriyie left very good footprints which are the foundation of what many are building on.

He, however, admonished Mr Allotey to continue the good works of his predecessor and also join hands with the Board of the Commission to push the Forestry Commission agenda forward. He also advised that the new Chief Executive should be forthright in all that he does and be fearless, while working assiduously with staff to arrest forest degradation.

In a brief remark, Mr Allotey thanked the President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, for appointing him as the Chief Executive of the Commission.

He also thanked the Sector Minister and the Chairman of the Forestry Commission Board, Brig. – Gen (Rtd.) Joseph Odei, for their recommendation for that appointment. He said his predecessor, the late Mr Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, achieved a lot under his tenure as a Chief Executive of the Commission and promised that he would continue to uphold the legacy left by his late boss to achieve all set objectives of the Forestry Commission.

At the same ceremony, the Sector Minister also sworn in Togbega Tsedze Atakora VII, Paramount Chief of the Alavanyo Traditional Area, as a member of the Forestry Commission Board. He replaces Togbega Gabusu IV, who passed on to eternal glory.