We have lost grip of our forest cover-Anthony Partey Asare alleges

Climatic condition in Ghana is expected to deteriorate further if deliberate pragmatic steps are not taken to address the menace of galamsey, Mr. Anthony Partey Asare, the Lumber and Wood Sellers Association Chairman, Ashaiman and the Director of Communications for Wood Sellers in Ghana has disclosed.

According to him, the lingering canker of galamsey if not tackled head-on, the country will suffer its negative impacts.

Mr. Partey made the disclosure last Monday, August 21,2023 while decrying the fast eroding forest cover of Ghana to the menace of galamsey operations.

In an exclusive interview with Soireenews.com, Mr. Anthony Partey Asare decried that many well-known tree species are extinct, a matter that spells doom for the existence of the country.

Meanwhile, Ghana has pledged her resolve to uphold the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs) particularly goal 15 which talks about the protection, restoration and the promotion of sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation as well as halt biodiversity loss.

Forests have significant role in reducing the risk of natural disasters such as floods, droughts, landslides and other extremely difficult natural phenomenon.

It is in this vein that Ghana, having subscribed to ensuring the safety and sanctity of the environment and duly receives support for, must be committed to the course rather than the usual paying of lip service to pertinent courses and not waiting till the eminent danger rears its ugly head.

One cannot rule out the role of forest cover in the mitigation of climate change through carbon sequestration, contribute to the balance of carbon dioxide and humidity in the air and protect watersheds which supplies 75% freshwater worldwide.

Government in its bid to address the imminent danger launched a tree planting project where a number of tree are planted yearly.

But,Mr. Partey demands to know if those trees planted are economically viable or just carbon? Who is taking care of those trees? and for how long will they take to mature? It is no doubt the the galamsey crisis, according to Mr. Partey, has forced wood dealers to import wood products from China and Turkey in a bid to complement the gaps created as Ghana's allowable cuts do not met demands of the country.

Given that, Mr. Partey is expressing fears that houses roofed with wood products from China and Turkey are likely to be roofed again after 20 years.

This is because he disclosed that those are not real wood but cyber product which cannot last several years as that of Ghanaians natural forest woods.

In that regard,Mr. Partey is urging government not to only plant trees termed as "plantation trees" for forest cover only but consider the "economical trees" which he said are capable of standing the chance of protecting and preserving the country's environment.