Building A Sustainable Future: Ghana’s Forest Industries Unite for Change
Ghana’s forest industry has recently made noteworthy strides towards a more environmentally friendly and sustainable future. The Forest Industries Association of Ghana (FIAG), a consortium comprising 11 trade and business associations, has joined forces to address shared challenges and advocate for sustainable practices in the forestry sector.
Richard Nsenkyire, President of the Association, has underscored priority areas, highlighting the significance of promoting the adoption of circular economy and green economy principles. This encompasses retooling processing companies to maximize the utilization of their residues, as well as providing residues to others for further processing.
FIAG’s overarching objective is to enhance corporate performance, establish a cohesive stance on critical issues, and contribute to the socio-economic development of Ghana. With a workforce of over 300,000 individuals engaged in various business segments within the sector, the impact of these endeavours is substantial.
According to Nsenkyire, the sector plays a pivotal role in stimulating the supply chain of forest products, as it relies on products from other members to sustain its operations. Furthermore, the industry is a major consumer of electricity, fuel, plant and machine accessories, with other sectors depending on its activities for their own sustainability.
Notwithstanding these positive aspects, the industry is grappling with challenges such as diminishing raw material supply from forest reserves, declining log production in off-reserve areas, and resource degradation due to illicit mining and farming activities.
In response to these challenges, Dr. Kwame Asamoah Adam, CEO of FIAG, has emphasized the importance of exploring opportunities through green economic models. He has emphasized the necessity for companies to transition to a green economy business model to achieve sustainable development goals, promote resource and energy efficiency, and embrace environmentally friendly technologies and processes.
The establishment of FIAG and its commitment to sustainable practices signifies a promising step towards addressing the challenges faced by Ghana’s forest industries. By advocating for a greener, more sustainable operational model, these efforts have the potential to safeguard the future of the forestry sector and contribute to the overall well-being of Ghana’s economy and environment.
The Association’s members and leaders are hopeful that these initiatives will not only surmount current challenges but also pave the way for a thriving, sustainable future for Ghana’s forest industries.
