Canada Pledges Active Support For Ghana’s Sustainable Natural Resources
The Canadian Minister for Environment and Climate, Mr. Steve Guibeault has pledged active Support of the Canadian government to ensure the sustainable management of Ghana’s substantial resources which includes Lands, Forestry and Minerals which plays a key role in the country’s development.
He said, Canada’s contribution to the Forest carbon partnership facilities fund have supported Ghana’s effort to reduce the country greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and land degradation.
The Canadian Minister who is in the country to study Ghana’s Forestry and environment sector applauded Ghana for her key afforestation drive, notably the Green Ghana which saw to the planting of over 5 million trees in 2021.
Hon. Guilbeault also indicated Canada’s similar involvement in planting trees from now to 2030 especially at a time the world is in grapples with climate change crisis.
Receiving the 11- member delegation on behalf of the Sector Minister, Hon. Benito Owusu-Bio, the Deputy Minister for Lands and Forestry, said the Ministry is embarking on an aggressive afforestation program which seeks to plant 20 million trees as a way of dealing with climate change and restoring the country’s vegetative cover.
The Canadian High Commissionr, H.E Katherine Csaba said her outfit enjoys positive relations with the Ministry especially in the area of mining and looks forward for further collaboration.
At a recent UN forum, Ghana was highly commended for the tree planting initiative and called for closer partnership with countries such as Canada to among others make this year’s national tree planting exercise a resounding success.
Touching on some of Government’s flagship interventions in the mining sector, the Advisor on Mines to the Minister, Mr. Benjamin Aryee, said the introduction of community mining scheme, the provision of mercury-free machines for mainly small-scale miners, geared towards promoting sustainable mining in the small-scale mining sector contributes to about 35% of mineral revenues for the country.
The mining Advisor also called for partnership from the Canadian government in the area of mining exploration.
The Project Manager for the Ghana Forest Investment Programme (GFIP), Mr.Tabi Agyarko said “GFIP is engaging the private sector in the Redd+ activities to reduce emissions.
He disclosed that GFIP is looking at larger firms and limiting themselves to medium and small scale. We have secured Seven Million dollars ($7 million) to be channelled through Agricultural Development Bank to expand new plantations programme”.
Also present at the meeting were the Chief Director, Prof. Patrick Agbesinyale and other Directors of the Ministry.
