Greater Accra Regional Minister cautions encroachers selling lands in forest reserves
The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Daniel Titus Glover, has cautioned residents within the Dodowa and Akuapem enclaves against the clearing and sale of portions of the Dodowa and Katamanso forests.
He said the Greater-Accra Regional Security Council (REGSEC) had been notified by the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs about the activities of some unscrupulous residents of Akuapem clearing and selling the forest landmarks.
“The Regional House of Chiefs informed us of the way people from Akuapem have descended on Dodowa town and just selling the lands; when you walk by the road, you see the forest, but when you enter, it is all gone.
The acting President of the House, Professor Nii Oboade Notse Odaifio Welentsi III, pleaded with REGSEC to deal with those taking over the Dodowa Forest. The regional minister was speaking at the first meeting of the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) in Accra yesterday which, welcomed all 29 Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), representatives of the Regional House of Chiefs, presiding members of various assemblies and heads of government, departments and agencies in the region.
Mr Glover noted that REGSEC, in collaboration with the Forestry Commission, would soon embark on a tree planting exercise to restore the Dodowa and Katamanso forests and reclaim part of the forests. He cautioned people living on the encroached forestland to vacate the area as it would soon be declared a security zone.
He urged MMDCEs to take keen interest in the protection of the Ramsar site in the region, which he explained aided in flood control by storing excess water during storm events but had been encroached on by some developers.
Revenue
Mr Titus Glover urged Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to work hard in mobilising revenue for developmental projects as the figures currently projected in revenue generation were short of the expected target.
Addressing members of the Regional Coordinating Council
“Cumulatively, MMDAs in the region are estimated to mobilise GH¢294,509,781.43 as internally generated funds for the year 2024. As at the end of May, GH¢117,616,266.14 had been mobilised, representing 39.9 per cent,” he said.
He commended some MMDAs for their revenue mobilisation effort with the La Nkwantanang Madina Municipal (67.9 per cent); the Ada West District (62.7 per cent) and La Dade Kotopon Municipal (62.3 per cent) assemblies as the leading MMDAs, while the Ayawaso East Municipal (12.8 per cent); the Okaikwei North Municipal (12.6 per cent) and the Ayawaso Central Municipal (7.7 per cent) were assemblies at the bottom.
He admonished the MMDAs to spend within their budgets and observe procurement rules to reduce audit infractions in their expenditures, while also putting in full force activities outlined in the Revenue Improvement Action Plans as the third quarter winds up.
Security, clean-up
On improving security, the minister said the RCC would distribute street lights to MMDAs to ensure that security at night improved in the region. He added that the RCC had begun clean-up exercises to ensure that the city centres remained clean.