Mining firm begins $7.2m forest restoration project - Targets 695 hectares of degraded reserves
The Forestry Commission has approved a reforestation plan submitted by Asante Gold Chirano Ltd (AGCL) covering a total area of 695 hectares within the Tano Suraw and Tano Suraw Extension forest reserves in the Western North Region.
The reforestation project, which comes with other interventions such as forest protection and control of invasive species, is estimated to cost over $7.2 million.
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Under the project, which will be implemented over 13 years, the company will establish 445 hectares of mixed-species forest plantation and 250 hectares of enrichment plantation.
During a ceremony organised at the headquarters of the Forestry Commission in Accra last Friday, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the two parties, giving the mining company the green light to start work.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Forestry Commission, John Allotey, signed for his outfit with the General Manager of AGCL, Stephen Asante Yamoah, initialling for his company.
Context
AGCL has a mining lease (ML.2/37, December 23, 2019) covering an area of 4,560 hectares with 2,039 hectares occurring in the Tano Suraw and the Tano Suraw Extension forest reserves.
Per the country's mining laws, the company is required to undertake a reforestation programme to cover an area three times the total lease area that falls in the two forest reserves, provided there is an actual impact on its mining operations.
To date, the company has impacted an estimated area of 230 hectares and, therefore, is required to undertake a reforestation offset covering 690 hectares.
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The project is expected to create 350 jobs within the adjoining communities.
Adherence
Mr Allotey urged the company to start the project immediately and ensure that the reforestation programme used more of the indigenous species that were in the impacted areas.
He said such a move would help to restore and maintain the biodiversity in those areas.
"I want to appeal to the company to ensure that the people who will be involved in the project activities such as planting and nurturing should be members of the local communities so that it will create jobs for them," he said.
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He said the Forestry Commission team would work closely with the mining company and also provide technical support for the project to be successful.
The Forestry Commission CEO urged other mining companies whose activities had impacted forest reserves to emulate the example shown by Asante Gold Chirano Ltd to protect the environment.