Green Livelihoods Alliance launched in Ghana

Koforidua, March 17, GNA - Green Livelihoods Alliance (GLA), a programme to govern Ghana’s landscape to reduce deforestation and enhance the socio-economic development of people have been launched in Koforidua.

The GLA is currently being implemented in various low to middle income countries worldwide including Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Uganda, Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, Paraguay and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

In Ghana, Tropenbos International Ghana, A ‘Rocha Ghana and Friends of the Earth Ghana, would lead the Green Livelihoods Alliance with focus on the Atewa forest range in the Eastern and Juaboso-Bia in the Brong-Ahafo regions, following a successful inception phase.

Mr Kwabena Nketiah, the Pogrammes Director of Tropenbos International Ghana, said the GLA would support CSOs to promote inclusive and sustainable governance of forested landscapes; as well as the restoration of degraded landscapes by influencing governmental and corporate policies and practices.

Mr Attah Owusu, the Eastern Regional Manager, Forestry Commission, said the success of the GLA would greatly impact on future generations because management, utilization and exploitation of Ghana’s natural resources were on the brink of an ecological disaster.

He said, for instance, the signs of this disaster were already evident in the decreasing unavailability of potable water in communities with Sunyani, being the latest as a result of on-going changes in the composition of the ecological system due to exploitation of natural resources in the forests.

The Regional Manager indicated that the GLA would be of huge benefit to the local people because the Densu, Ayensu and Birim, the major rivers that took its source from the Atiwa range forest reserve were seriously polluted.

He disclosed that protection of the Atiwa forest reserve had been difficult because of shortage of Forestry Commission staff, adding “it is therefore reassuring that the GLA would pay special attention to the wellbeing of the local communities dotted along the forest landscape”.

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