New Abirem(ER), June 19, GNA - Ms Esther Obeng Dapaah, Minister of Lands, Forestry and Mines on Thursday expressed concern about the continuous decline of the country's forest and wildlife and its impact on livelihood of the people.

She therefore, called for concerted efforts from all stakeholders to redress the situation.

Ms Dapaah expressed the concern at the national launch of Greening Ghana Day programme at new Abirem in Birim North District. The programme was to create awareness about environmental issues and encourage the public to embark on massive tree planting, especially during the rainy season to improve on the environment. She said forestry played an important role in the national economy and firmly integrated into the rural economies, therefore, any programme that sought to enhance the socio economic development of rural communities would of necessity address problems facing the forestry sector.

Ms Dapaah said the annual loss of timber, cash and food crops to wildfire alone was estimated currently at three per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). "Wildfire has therefore severely reduced not only the productive capacity of the forest but also had negative effects on the other benefits of forest cover including water supply, soil fertility and wildlife," she said

Ms Dapaah said the devastating effects of forest degradation, especially during the past two decades were beginning to manifest themselves in the extinction of premium timber species such as Odum, Mahogany and Sapele, loss of biodiversity, drying up of water bodies and loss of tourist sites and other natural resources that were important sources of revenue and livelihood support for the rural people. Professor Nii Ashie Kotey, Chief Executive Officer of Forestry Commission, said the commission in conjunction with Ministry of Lands, Forestry and Mines had designed many programmes to address problems of forest and wildlife resources depletion and environmental degradation. Some of the programmes are, securing the natural resources base, developing the natural resources and optimizing the flow of benefits from the resources to the country and particularly to resources owners. 19 June 08