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Ghana has secured $54 million from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) to implement a Shea landscape project in the northern part of the country.

Under the project, communities in the four regions of the north will be engaged to undertake a reforestation programme using shea trees which have economic value.

The new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Forestry Commission, Mr John Allotey, who disclosed this to the Daily Graphic in an interview, said there were processes ongoing for the project to start before the end of this year.

“We got $50 million from the GCF for the cocoa sector last year and just last week, we received $54 million for the Shea landscape project which is expected to boost the shea industry and also preserve the forest vegetation,” he said.

Swearing-in ceremony

Mr Allotey spoke to the Daily Graphic shortly after he was sworn in as the CEO of the Forestry Commission to replace his former boss, Mr Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, who passed away on July 1, this year, after suffering from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

He was sworn into office by the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Kwaku Asomah-Cheremeh.

At the same event, the Paramount Chief of Alavanyo, Togbe Tsedze Atakora VII, was also sworn in as a member of the Forestry Commission board, to replace the Paramount Chief of the Gbi Traditional Area, Togbega Gabusu VI, who passed on early this year.

Implementation procedure

When Mr Allotey was asked when the shea landscape project would start, he said the financial processes would be concluded soon enough to pave way for its commencement.

“The funds for the project have been approved by the GCF, but the Forestry Commission will not be given money directly; due process would have to be followed and so it would go through the Ministry of Finance before it is released. We are hopeful that the project will start before the end of this year though,” he said.

In addition, the new Forestry Commission CEO said the Board of Directors of the Forestry Commission had approved the project and details would be made available to the public in a short while.