Lands Minister Directs Forestry Commission To Go Commercial

Mr Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, has charged the Forestry Commission to adopt a commercial approach to wean itself from government subvention and boost operations. This directive forms part of government’s reset agenda, aimed at making the Commission more efficient and self-sustaining.

The Minister stated this when he paid a working visit to the Forestry Commission on Wednesday, April 8, 2025.

During the visit, he tasked the management and staff to reorient themselves and their operations to meet the government’s reset drive.

In his address to the staff, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, underscored the Forestry Commission’s strategic and critical role in the country, noting “Your job is so critical and goes to the heart of what Ghana is. Without you, there is no Ghana.”

After emphasising the Commission’s strategic importance to the country, the Minister encouraged the staff and management to embrace the reset agenda being pursued by President John Dramani Mahama’s government, promising reward for hardworking staff while warning against saboteurs.

Whiles acknowledging significant challenges facing the Commission, such as illegal mining and illegal logging, Armah-Kofi Buah emphasised the importance of the Commission buying into the commitment President John Dramani Mahama made to Ghanaians during the campaign period.

“The government, led by President John Mahama, campaigned to reset Ghana and that means that at the Forestry Commission, we are going to do things very well and ensure we do them with integrity, commitment and hard work. We have brought the Resetting Ghana agenda to the Forestry Commission,” he said.

Mr Armah-Kofi Buah, who is also the Member of Parliament for the Ellembelle in the Western Region, promised to lead advocacy in Parliament for the passage of a Legislative Instrument that will help unlock funds for the Forestry Commission.

This would aid in their mission to protect the country’s environment and contribute to global action against climate change.

A noteworthy promise made by Mr Armah-Kofi Buah, which could become his legacy at the Forestry Commission, is the commercialisation of some aspects of the Commission’s activities to ensure effective revenue mobilisation.

He called for an urgent injection of vibrancy and enthusiasm into the Forestry Commission to make it attractive to competent and youthful Ghanaians.

“I’ve said we should fast-track the formation of a commercial arm for the Forestry Commission. This will help the Commission generate more revenue. If 50 years ago the Forestry Commission was considered a charity organisation, today I’m saying that under the reset agenda, the Forestry Commission must start treating its work as a business,” he stated.

In a presentation to the Minister, the CEO of the Forestry Commission, Mr. Hughes Brown, highlighted some major achievements the Commission has made under his leadership in the fight against illegal mining.

He stated that they have so far seized 101 excavators, decommissioned six, seized three bulldozers and six pick-ups and arrested 76 persons.He also noted that the Tree4Life initiative has started yielding positive outcomes for the country.

The post Lands Minister Directs Forestry Commission To Go Commercial appeared first on The Ghanaian Chronicle.

Read Full Story