We are disappointed in govt, Forestry Commission and Ministry of Land – Youth in afforestation

This release is to show our displeasure, discomfort and disappointment as Members/Beneficiaries in Youth in Afforestation Program to the ruling Government, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) led by President Nana Addo Danquah Akuffo Addo, and Ministry of Lands and Natural Resource led by Hon. Samuel Abdulai Jinapor and Forestry Commission of Ghana, led by Mr. John Allotey for absolutely neglected and forgotten our existence for almost the whole year, that’s 2022.

The Youth in Afforestation Program was initiated by this NPP led Government and Forestry Commission of Ghana under the Ministry of Land and Natural Resource to plant trees in our various forest reserves and other places equally important for this activity, in order to maintain and preserve our forest from the high rate of deteriorating and encroachment. And this is exactly what the beneficiaries have helped the government and Forestry Commission to execute and achieved good results in this and previous years but it is very bad and sad on how the government and other partners have paid blunt eyes and ears to the program and the welfare of the beneficiaries. The saddest of it all was when beneficiaries were expecting at least one to three months allowance for the Christmas festivities but to our greatest surprise, nothing was paid to us.

In 2022, after working assiduously with the Government and Forestry Commission especially during the Green Ghana Project, government paid only the month of January and February, which was paid in July and November respectively.

The program consist of supervisors who are graduates and field assistants who are non graduates with monthly allowance of Gh¢700.00 and Gh¢400.00. respectively and about 50,000 in number. Some of the beneficiaries are married with children and are bread winners in their various homes, but the government has refused to pay attention to our cry and plea and we are totally neglected and abandoned, we have not been paid for Ten(10) months arrears and there is also no communications from all our partners.

We are therefore pleading with the government and other partners to come to our aid immediately because we are really suffering in this hard times. Our situation is very devastating and worse in this hard times. We are also appealing to cooperate, media and social bodies to intercede on our behave for our allowance to be paid and also come to our aid.

We are humbly appealing to the Government, Ministry of Lands and Natural Resource and Forestry Commission to come clear and make it known to us if the program has ended or not since there is no communications from either the partners.
Thank you.

SIGNED by
Rev clement Asare
0594421739
President, Youth in Afforestation Program Beneficiaries.