Day: March 24, 2024

Christians in Ghana are joining others around the world to observe Palm Sunday today, March 24, 2024.

The Day, also known as Passion Day, is in commemoration of Jesus Christ’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem, prior to His crucifixion.

It is the final Sunday of Lent, and the beginning of the Holy Week on the Christian Calendar.

In Ghana, the Day is commemorated with processions of churches through some principal streets with members waving palm branches, and handkerchiefs, singing of ‘Hosanna, Hosanna’.

According to Gospel, Jesus entered Jerusalem riding a donkey and was welcomed by the townspeople with songs of praise, as some paid homage by throwing clothes and palm branches on the ground for Him to walk on.

The palm frond has been incorporated into Christian iconography to represent the victory of martyrs, and of the spirit over the flesh.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Ghana Navy Special Boat Squadron, the Ghana Army Special Operations Brigade, and the Fighter Squadron of the Ghana Airforce, on Friday, 22nd March 2024, embarked on a joint operation exercise.

The exercise, which formed part of 2024 Exercise Sea Lion, included an amphibious landing where armed navy troops from the special boat squadron descended from sailing ships into fast boats to simulate an offensive, search and rescue efforts on the shore at the Naval Base in Sekondi, Western Naval Command.

The simulation exercise involved the kidnapping of a Minister and his family by terrorists who held them hostage in a building at the shore.

Rear Admiral Issah Adam Yakubu, Chief of Naval Staff (CNS)

It illustrated how the boat squadron with help from the other two squadrons of the armed forces, subdued the acting terrorists and eventually rescued the Minister and his family.

In his address to troops, Rear Admiral Issah Adam Yakubu, the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), stated how the operation involving various un
its of the tri-service was a living proof of the competence of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) and its commitment to overcome any security challenges.

‘The completion of this major military amphibious exercise involving the Army Special Operations Brigade, the Special Boat Squadron of the Ghana Navy and the Fighter Squadron of the Ghana Airforce stands as a testament to the extraordinary capabilities of the Ghana Armed Forces,’ he said.

The CNS commended all personnel and civilians, who made the naval voyage to cross the equator (latitude zero degrees) and underwent the navy traditional initiation supervised by the various ship captains.

‘To our distinguished passengers who crossed the equator and were initiated by King Neptune as abled-bodied seamen and joining the league of the few sailors who have achieved this feat, your presence on this journey has been invaluable..,’ he said.

The personnel and civilians were awarded certificates and King Neptune Badges for successfully crossing the equator.

Source: G
hana News Agency

By Charity Nginyu

In a recent statement issued by His Royal Majesty Fon Ngum IV, concerns over the abuse and misuse of traditional titles have been raised within the Oku community.

Addressing the public via his official Facebook handle, the Fon expressed grave concern over the sudden surge of individuals proclaiming themselves as title holders without proper authorization.

‘It has come to notice that several persons have suddenly proclaimed themselves as title holders ranging from appellations such as Shey, Ebchuo Shey, Yaah, Ebchuofai, Bantock, Tantoh just to name a few of such abusive use of titles,’ the Fon stated.

Highlighting the significance of traditional titles within Oku society, the Fon emphasized that titles are bestowed singularly by the Kwifon and the Fon of Oku, and no individual has the authority to self-proclaim or upgrade existing titles.

Furthermore, the Fon highlighted the importance of upholding noble character and behavior among title holders, stating, ‘Title holders are supposed to
be noble in their characters and actions, including behavior. This is what sets the premise for norms and standards within the context of the Oku Society and this must be respected.’

In light of these concerns, His Royal Majesty Fon Ngum IV issued the following directives:

The practice of self-proclamation of titles should cease immediately; All current traditional title holders should adhere to the original title nomenclature as proclaimed by the Kwifon or the Fon and display exemplary lifestyles to sustain the dignity of Oku culture and tradition.

The Traditional Institutions will take drastic measures should the abuse, misuse, and self-proclamation of titles continue to trend.

The Fon concluded by reaffirming the importance of wisdom and stewardship among titleholders, stating, ‘They are supposed to listen more and speak less. This is the foundation of wisdom and our customs put a lot of emphasis on this.’

Source: Cameroon News Agency

Addis Ababa: The Ethiopian Airlines Group hosted an Iftar Dinner program for Muslim community and diplomatic representatives tonight in the capital Addis Ababa.

Iftar, held at the Skylight Hotel, brought together dignitaries from various embassies, diplomatic missions and the Muslim community residing in the capital as well as prominent figures of the Muslim community and government officials.

Accordingly, the Iftar program was attended by Ethiopian Airlines Group leadership, including CEO Mesfin Tasew, Ethiopian Islamic Affairs Supreme Council President Haji Ibrahim Tofa, government officials and diplomats.

The Iftar Dinner program hosted by Ethiopian Airlines, the largest network operating carrier in Africa to express its appreciation for the Muslim faithful and commitment to fostering interfaith cooperation, it was learned.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

Parishioners of the Saint Augustine, Holy Rosary, Holy Trinity and Corpus Christi Roman Catholic churches at Hohoe have commemorated this year’s Palm Sunday with a procession through some principal streets of the town.

Palm Sunday is marked by Christians to remember the triumphal entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem, days before His crucifixion.

Reverend Father Paschal Afesi, the Parish Priest, St Augustine Parish, in a homily said human beings had no strength, power and authority on their own except in the one from God.

He said although mankind would use their power, strength and authority to suppress and make others uncomfortable, Jesus Christ used the power, strength and authority He received from God for the salvation of mankind.

Rev. Fr. Afesi said the celebration and joy of Christians on Palm Sunday signified the fact that Christ’s death was not the end; there was resurrection!

He urged Christians to encourage themselves and others in moments of difficulties.

Rev. Fr. Kenneth Debre, the Parish Pri
est of the Holy Rosary Parish, said the victory of Christians was in God and not the problems they faced because they had already been declared victorious through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Palm Sunday, also known as ‘Passion Sunday,’ is the final Sunday of Lent, and the beginning of the Holy Week on the Christian Calendar.

It is known as Palm Sunday because the faithful often use palm fronds for the re-enactment of Christ’s arrival in Jerusalem.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Environment and Agroforestry Foundation (EAF), an environmental non-for-profit organisation in Sunyani, has organised a capacity building workshop for participants on its restoring farmland, riparian ecosystem, and livelihood improvement project in the Bono Region.

Held at Berekum in the Berekum East Municipality of the Bono Region, the programme also saw the launch of a six-year project, being funded by TerraFund for AFR100, an international funding consortium established in 2021, comprising the World Resources Institute, One Tree Planted, Realize Impact and Barka Fund.

It was attended by about 100 participants, including 70 participating farmers from four project beneficiary communities – Namasua, Oforikrom, Tainso and Berekum.

Other participants comprised representatives of the Forest Services Division (FSD) of the Forestry Commission (FC), the Berekum East Municipal Directorate of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), the Municipal Assembly.

The tradi
tional authorities of the four beneficiary communities, the leadership of Fulani herdsmen, media and Green Waterhut, an environmental and water conservation non-governmental organisation, headquartered in Sunyani, were all present as stakeholders.

Mrs Emma Baah Agyapong, the Founder/Director of EAF, in an overview, said the project was the Foundation’s contribution to achieving the Government’s commitment to restoring two million hectres of degraded farmlands.

It would also support the achievement of ‘Africa’s ambitious journey of restoring 100 million hectares of degraded farmlands by 2030,’ she said.

Mrs Agyapong, who doubles as the project coordinator, said besides the restoration of degraded farmlands and its adjoining riparian forests sharing border with the Tain II Forest Reserve, it would improve the livelihoods of community members for sustainable forest management in the region.

As part of the project’s plan to use; ‘Participatory Rural Approach’ to achieve the goals, the capacity of locals would
be built to fully participate during the implementation and monitoring activities.

Mr Francis Brobbey, the Sunyani District Manager, Forest Services Division, assured of the Division’s support for the successful implementation of the project.

He said the Government’s commitment to restoring two million hectares of degraded forest and farmlands was a sole mandate of the Forestry Commission, and that if the EAF, through TerraFund, was helping to achieve that, it was vital for the FSD to fully support it to realise the set goals for the success of the Green Ghana Project.

Mr Hassan Sali, the Berekum East Director of MoFA, expressed the enthusiasm of the Ministry to collaborate in achieving the objectives of the project.

The MOFA had a target in climate smart agriculture and agroforestry and would support farmers to achieve the project’s target, he said.

Assistant Divisional Officer I Issahaku, the Berekum Municipal Deputy Commander of the GNFS, expressed worry over the number of fire incidents recorded in t
he municipality in 2023, saying as at mid-February 2024, bush fires had the highest percentage of fire incidents recorded.

He, however, pledged prompt response and support of the GNFS to fighting fires and related incidents in and around the project sites.

Mr Kofi Adjei, the Berekum East Municipal Chief Executive, commended the EAF and TerraFund for AFR100 for choosing the municipality for the project.

He lauded the traditional authorities of the project beneficiary communities for releasing vast tracts of land for its implementation.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Anloga District Assembly led by Mr Seth Yormewu, Chief Executive, has formed sub-committees to enhance the performance of the Assembly’s duties.

The formation process held at the Assembly’s second meeting formed part of its functions as stipulated in the Local Governance Act 936 of 2016.

It states that ‘There must be sub-committees to be responsible for collating and deliberating on issues as its responsibility to assist the District Assembly in its deliberative, legislative and executive functions.’

The statutory committees constituted were, Justice and Security Committee led by Mr Emmanuel Dordor; Development Planning Sub-Committee to be chaired by Mr Eddah Edward, Social Services Sub-Committee chaired by Mr Raphaeal Kwadzo Agbanavor; Finance and Administration Sub-Committee led by Mr Ali Kweku Joseph; and the Works Sub-Committee also led by Mr Simon Awadzi.

Other ad-hoc committees formed included the House Sub-Committee led by Mr Samuel Sebuava, Agricultural, Fisheries, Climate Change, and Disaster
Management Sub-Committee under the chairmanship of Mr George Dzakpasu.

Mr Joseph Kwabla Kpattah, the Presiding Member of the Assembly, charged all committee members to bring their expertise on board to serve the district.

He advised the chairmen to exhibit service leadership by taking into consideration the overall needs of the electorates and take the views of committee members seriously.

‘If all these committees function well, I can promise you that the Anloga District will be adjudged the best in Volta region and one of the best in Ghana, because most of the Assembly’s work is at the committee level and I trust the people we have now,’ he said.

Mr Yormewu, the District Chief Executive who is also the Chairman of the Executive Committee, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, said he was confident that the members would perform creditably to enhance the progress of the district.

He said the expertise of all members, elected and appointed, was heavily considered before nominating them into the comm
ittees, adding that each member was placed where they could function well, and this would materialise in the progress of the assembly and the district at large.

Each committee was constituted with about 30 per cent of women to as well as persons living with disabilities to ensure their inclusiveness and empowerment.

Anloga District is one of the 18 Districts in the Volta Region with fishing, vegetable farming and trading forming major economic activities of its indigenes.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Reverend Father Theophilus Addo-Botchway, Assisting Priest, Saint Anne Anglican Church, Abeka, has urged Christians to live life of sacrifice as they commemorate Palm Sunday.

In his message themed: ‘My Expensive Sacrifice,’ based on Mark 14: 3, he said Mary Magdalene, who was seen as a sinner, sacrificed expensive oil to prepare for Christ’s death and burial.

That remarkable act, he said, served as an example for Christians to follow by sacrificing something precious unto God.

‘So, as God is about to sacrifice His Son for us, we also have to sacrifice something for Him,’ he said.

He added: ‘In the olden days, the Israelites sacrificed human beings and animals. In our days, Christ has died for us, so we don’t need to sacrifice animals and human beings again.

‘Whatever God has blessed us with, we have to sacrifice that thing for Christ,’ he said.

Rev Addo-Botchway noted that God had blessed His people with many gifts and talents that Christians could apply to serve God.

He urged Christians to help th
e work of God by giving their money, time, and possessions.

Rev Addo-Botchway stressed that: ‘As a Christian, for your sacrifice to be acceptable unto God, you must go deep within your heart and search for the most expensive thing that you can sacrifice unto the Lord.’

Rev Fr Dr Samuel Quartey, the Parish Priest, St Anne Anglican Church, said Palm Sunday signified the bold decision that Jesus took to enter Jerusalem regardless of the consequences that awaited him.

He said Christians must also be bold witnesses for Christ so that others may know the victory of the sacrifice that Christ had brought to mankind.

‘Palm Sunday also teaches us to be humble, loving and steadfast in the Lord, as Christ’s victory is an assurance that even though the Christian life will be full of trials, persecutions and tribulations, through it all, God will be there to save us and bless us,’ he noted.

As Ghana prepared for the 2024 General Election, Rev Quartey called on the country’s political party leaders to let Christ be the
ir example by humbling themselves.

He said: ‘In elections, is either you win or you lose. So when you win, you give glory to God. When you lose too, you give glory to God.

‘It’s God that appoints leaders. It’s God that appointed Jesus to come and die for mankind.

‘As we go into elections, Christians must pray to God for Him to grant the nation victory as He granted Jesus Christ victory over the devil.’

Rev Quartey urged Christians to be channels of peace and unity throughout the elections to maintain the nation’s stability and speed up growth and development.

The Church Choir led the congregation to sing the Passion according to Saint Mathew with meditations on Jesus’ trial, death, victory over sin, and mankind’s reconciliation with God.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Commodore Maxwell Arhin, the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Eastern Naval Command, says the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) can leverage some of the Command’s sea exercises to promote global tourism in the country.

He said a similar collaboration yielded great results in 2019 during the year of return and could be revisited.

Commodore Arhin said this in an address to uniformed personnel and civilians selected to cross to the Equator (The centre of the earth) for the first time on Ghana Navy Ships (GNS) ANKOBRA and VOLTA, supported by US Navy ship (USS) Hershel Woody Williams during Exercise Sea Lion 2024.

Commodore Maxwell Arhin, Flag Officer Commanding, Eastern Naval Command

He said Ghana was the closest country to the centre of the world and that the Ghana Navy considered the location a strategic area.

‘In 2019, the Ghana Navy collaborated with the Ghana Tourism Authority, and it was a huge success,’ the Flag Officer Commanding said.

He also commended the Western and Eastern Naval Commands for their unw
avering commitment and dedication and the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) for roles played in making the 2024 version of the exercise a success.

Lieutenant General Thomas Oppong-Pepprah, Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), in an address, said military exercises such as the Sea Lion would build capacities of the Ghana Armed Forces after flagging off the troops to set participating ships on sail.

‘The joint nature of the Exercise will help build interoperability for future operations. Contemporary security threats such as piracy and terrorism in the west African subregion require a capable and robust personnel, well trained and equipped to deal with them,’ he said.

The 2024 version of Exercise Sea lion had two of Ghana Navy’s River-class ships, GNS ANKOBRA and GNS VOLTA and made a voyage to the equator (also known as Crossing-the-line), beginning on the evening of Tuesday 19, March at the Eastern Naval Base at Tema.

GNS ANKOBRA and VOLTA had a total of 43 and 42 persons onboard respectively.

They included Naval O
fficers and ratings, other uniformed personnel from the Army, ex-ratings and civilians, including journalists.

As an ancient naval tradition, dating back to the 1520s, all novice sailors, both personnel and civilians, who successfully crossed the equator on Thursday morning, underwent a ceremony of baptism amongst other interesting rites to confirm them as seamen.

The rites were performed by the captains of the two ships, who assumed the role of King Neptune – the ancient Roman sea deity.

On the morning of Friday 22, March, the two ships returned with all onboard to the Western Naval base at Sekondi where the exercise was climaxed with a joint military operation by the Ghana Navy Special Boat Squadron, the Army Special Operations Brigade, and the Ghana Air Force Fighter Squadron.

The last Exercise Sea Lion was held in 2020 in October under the leadership of Vice Admiral Seth Amoama (Rtd) with GNS YAA ASANTEWAA, GNS GARINGA, GNS EHWOR and GNS BLIKA.

It had a team of 229 personnel, including seven females,
and the former CNS.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Dr Joseph Anokye, the Director-General of the National Communications Authority (NCA), says the proactive actions by the Authority is the reason Ghana did not experience complete internet outage during the undersea cable disruptions on March 14, 2024.

A number of countries along the West African Coast through to South Africa experienced widespread and massive internet outages when four submarine cables, which coincidentally were operational in Ghana, got disrupted underseas, leading to disruptions in data services.

During the outage, consumers on AT did not experience any disruptions whiles those on MTN and Telecel had minimum internet access.

All three mobile network operators (MNOs) in Ghana have since been restored to full internet capacity while the submarine cable providers are continuing repair works.

Addressing the media in Accra on Sunday on the disruptions, Dr Anokye said the NCA had been proactive since 2020 and had directed MNOs to establish and maintain physical cable connections to at least t
hree submarine cable providers for redundancy and resilience.

‘The NCA had directed MNOs to establish and maintain physical cable connections to at least three submarine cable providers for redundancy and resilience – this was back in April 2020, and all MNOs adhered to this,’ Dr Anokye said.

He explained that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Authority had a series of meetings with various stakeholders to find out what level of support they needed.

The proactive engagements and subsequent directives to MNOs contributed to Ghana not experiencing complete internet outage on 14th March 2024.

The NCA Boss said in one of those meetings, the NCA focused on risk assessment of mobile network operator’s capacities and their redundancies to Subsea Cable Landing Service Providers.

Subsequently, from a national emergency point of view, all MNOs were, in a letter dated 30th April 2020, directed to establish and maintain physical cable connections to at least three submarine cable companies.

‘Further to the above, a
ll redundant cable connections should be capable of being lighted within 24-hours in the event of outage on your primary links,’ he said.

‘It was based on this directive that AT secured a third leg of its cable provider in Nigeria, leading to they having service, with MTN also having another leg in Nigeria with some capacity that was relied on during the crisis.’

On the way forward, Dr Anokye said the Authority would require MNOs to make provisions for another leg of their cable to land with a cable provider who did not land in-country but was close by.

‘We are happy to note also that the NCA in 2023, licensed a fifth cable landing operator, Bayobab, operator of the 2Africa Cable with a design capacity of 180tbps, which is about four times the combined design capacity of the existing cables; this service is expected to be operational by 4th quarter of 2024 or sooner,’ he announced.

The 2Africa would be the only cable that circles the entire African continent – providing geographical diversity.

Additional
ly, from a distance layout standpoint, the 2Africa Cable is much farther away from the existing four cables in the high seas.

Dr Anokye disclosed that the NCA had augmented its existing satellite licensing portfolio to include recent broadband satellite services to provide alternative connectivity options for domestic and enterprise users.

‘We will work with regulators and the industry in the sub-region to encourage the extension of inter-country terrestrial fibre to enhance resilience of its respective internet connectivity’.

The National Communications Authority (NCA) was established by an Act of Parliament, Act 524, in December 1996, which has been repealed and replaced by the National Communications Authority Act, 2008 (Act 769).

It is the statutory body mandated to license and regulate electronic communication activities and services in the country.

Source: Ghana News Agency

After one of the most serious terrorist attacks in Russian history, in which gunmen fired indiscriminately at concert-goers at a venue on the outskirts of Moscow, killing 133 people, many questions remain.

Another 152 people were injured, with many of them remaining in critical condition on Sunday, according to a report from the state news agency TASS, which cited the Moscow regional Civil Protection. Five children are reportedly among the injured.

Russia observed a national day of mourning on Sunday.

The Islamic State (IS) militia claimed responsibility for the deadly attack on the concert hall Friday night.

Eyewitnesses reported the perpetrators shot indiscriminately at visitors and that they heard explosions in the building before a major fire broke out.

Russian President Vladimir Putin hinted at a Ukrainian connection to the assault, without providing any evidence. Putin also claimed that the perpetrators of the attack attempted to flee in the direction of Ukraine.

Ukraine has adamantly denied any r
esponsibility for the attack.

Intelligence services from the United States and other Western countries at the beginning of March warned of a potential imminent terror attack in Moscow. However, Putin dismissed the warnings as a Western provocation.

On Saturday, the so-called Islamic State’s propaganda channel Amak published a picture of four people whose faces had been blurred.

Armed with assault rifles, pistols and bombs, the fighters had dealt Russia a ‘heavy blow,’ the statement said, adding that the attack targeted ‘thousands of Christians in a music hall.’

During the night, heavy machinery cleared debris from the grounds of the Crocus City Hall.

According to the authorities, the clearing and recovery work should continue until at least Sunday evening.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Commodities, including cocoa, oil palm, coffee, oil palm, rubber, and wood, farmed (by clearing forest) under a deforested condition will be banned in the European Union (EU) Markets.

The world’s largest?importer?of cocoa, much of it from Ghana and Ivory Coast, says its main reason for the deforestation-free products regulation known as EU Deforestation regulation (EUDR) is to protect forest and its resources in third countries.

Mr Valdis Dombrovskis, the Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for an Economy that Works for People and Commissioner for Trade, speaking at a two day seminar in Brussels, clarified that products from farms put under cultivation before the year 2020 were exempted.

Organised by the EU, the seminar titled Sustainability Policies and International Trade, sought to provide education on deforestation-products to 20 journalists selected from countries the EU trades with.

The regulation was first outlined in the?2019 Commission Communication on Stepping up EU Action to Pro
tect and Restore the World’s Forests.

The commitment was later confirmed by the?European Green Deal,?the?EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030?and the?Farm to Fork Strategy.

He said, ‘Consumers of finished products like chocolate and coffee in EU are concerned about the continues clearing of forests to cultivate raw materials used to produce these products.

‘We are all experiencing increase in temperature, dry-spells, and unpredictable rains occurring as a result of our collective actions. Protecting the remaining forests in the world, which provide many services is key to helping us to ease the impact of climate crisis.’

Mr Dombrovskis said EU was partly responsible for deforestation and degradation and had resolve to to lead the way to solving it.?

He noted that it was working with Civil Society Organisations in the Ghanaian forestry sector, COCOBOD and other stakeholders to carry out an analysis and modalities on traceability.

The EU, as part of the implementation of the regulation has committed over 700
million Euros towards initiatives, including the establishment of a Joint Research Center.

The JRC has used 30 years of expertise in geospatial technologies to provide a global map of the extent of destruction of forests in 2020, to be used in a new observatory on deforestation.

To prove traceability throughout the supply chain back to the source, the new requirements involve collecting geolocation data and due diligence information.

Already, COCOBOD as part of the Cocoa Management System (CMS), has commenced an initiative called the Ghana Cocoa Traceability Systems (GCTS), which seeks to trace cocoa sold to the licensed buying companies from the farmer to final consumer – a key component of the EU regulatory framework.

The initiative comprises of actors along the value chain that would work to ensure that Ghana’s cocoa sector continues to maintain its niche as the producer of ‘Premium Quality Cocoa’ on the international market.

Experts say compliance is expensive and will be prohibitive for many smallho
lder producers from indigenous and local communities in the Global South.

Mr Charles Brefo-Nimo, Senior Program Manager, IDH, told the Ghana News Agency that, COCOBOD, a regulator and operator, needed to collaborate with industry players to create the enabling environment to ensure due diligence and compliance in the cocoa supply chain.

‘…they will need to build systems and tools that will enhance mutual trust and transparency among key actors, including Cocoa farmers,’ he said.

‘As convenors of the Cocoa and Forests Initiative, which is an unprecedented collaboration between the governments of Ghana and Ivory Coast and 36 signatory Cocoa and chocolate companies, we have an interest to ensure that all actors are in alignment with the EUDR.’

Deforestation is posing significant challenges to Ghana, the world’s second-largest cocoa producer.

Between 2002 and 2020, the country lost 9.3 per cent of its humid primary forests, predominantly in the High Forest Zone, which is a crucial cocoa production belt.

A
gricultural activities, particularly cocoa farming and expansion, are one of the leading drivers of deforestation, underscoriing the urgent need for intervention.

Forests provide a broad variety of environmental, economic and social benefits, including timber and non-wood forest products and environmental services essential for humankind, as they harbour most of the Earth’s terrestrial biodiversity.

They maintain ecosystem functions, help protect the climate system, provide clean air and play a vital role for the purification of waters and soils as well as for water retention and recharge.

Large forest areas act as a moisture source and help prevent desertification of continental regions.

In addition, forests provide subsistence and income to approximately one third of the world’s population and the destruction of forests has serious consequences for the livelihoods of the most vulnerable people, including indigenous peoples and local communities, who depend heavily on forest ecosystems.

Source: Ghana N
ews Agency