Organization for Indigenous Initiatives and sustainability (ORGIIS Ghana), an Environmental NGO through Noé and ECONOBIO, with funding support from Agency Francaise de Development (AFD), has urged the Community Resource Management Areas (CREMA) executives to protect forest reserves in the Kassena-Nankana West District.
Under the CREMA concept, the community members, with the formation of executives, are empowered to manage the natural resources within their geographical areas to help preserve and conserve biodiversity.
The Community Resource Management Areas (CREMA) concept is a viable approach to conserving forest reserves for community empowerment, Mr. Joseph Binlinla, Upper East Regional Wild Life Manager, revealed.
He noted this when the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources granted the ‘CREMA’s’ executive members the mandate and power to operate at the swearing-in ceremony of the new executives of the “Sanyiga Kasena Gavara Kara CREMA” into office.
“With this granted power, you have the authority to stop politicians or anybody or groups of people who want to abuse the natural resources such as the forest reserves and biodiversity.”
Mr. Joseph Binlinla
The ceremony, which attracted stakeholders, including traditional and opinion leaders, and Assembly members, among others, is aimed at developing green value chains for the benefit of the local population living on the outskirts of biodiversity-rich areas with the support of the private sector and civil society organization.
CREMA committee receives equipment to aid operations
At the ceremony, three tricycles worth GH₵33,600.00 were presented to the Sanyiga Kasena Gavara Kara CREAMAs committee to facilitate their operations.
Mr. Julius Awaregye, Executive Director of ORGIIS-Ghana, stressed that as local stakeholders, there is an urgent need to strengthen the CREMA and provide them with adequate pieces of trainings and equipment.
He said sustainable economic activities such as establishing shea nut warehouses and grinding mills for shea butter also need to be developed to provide alternative livelihoods for residents of the CREMA operational areas.
Over the years, the organization, with funding support from AFD and other donors, has established several facilities such as shea nuts and baobab warehouses, and grinding mills, and empowered the group, particularly women, to go into small-scale enterprises in the ‘CREMA’s’, he mentioned.
He noted that due to CREMA, some people who engaged in the destruction of the natural resources have been arrested and served as a deterrent to others thereby reducing the canker.
Mr. Clifford Adagnera Amoah, Programmes Manager of ORGIIS-Ghana, mentioned that one of the CREMA-initiated activities is the development of economic activities such as shea butter, honey, beeswax, and baobab value chains.
He mentioned some of the beneficiary communities as Wuru, Kwapun, Kunchogu, Banu, Pudo, Basisan, Nkong, Katiu, and Kyoro, all within the western wildlife corridor in Sissala East District of the Upper West Region, and Kong, Katiu and Kayoro traditional areas in the Kassena-Nankana West District of the Upper East Region.
He added that the Western Wildlife Corridor is part of Mole Landscape, revealing that the Mole National Park and the Nazinga Game Ranch are undergoing accelerated degradation at the expense of the poor rural population who directly depend on natural resources.
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