The Forestry Senior Staff Association (FOSSA), has held its annual general meeting at Akyawkrom in the Ejisu-Juaben Municipality with a call on stakeholders to support the Forestry Commission to manage the nation's forest resources.
Mr Samuel Afari-Dartey, Chief Executive of the Forestry Commission, said the expectation was that key stakeholders, including the Ghana Timber Millers Organization, Woodworkers Association of Ghana, and the Furniture and Woodworkers Association of Ghana would assist to develop measures to enhance the sustainability of the forest.
They should ensure the adoption of best practices and cut down on waste.
The call comes amidst the growing degradation of the forest and its resources.
Mr Afari-Dartey made reference to the increased attention the world community had given to conservation over the last two decades and said there could be no doubt that prudent use of forest resources would help to improve the livelihood of many people.
The meeting also took stock of the activities of the association to plan the way forward.
Mr Afari-Dartey said the speed at which the once evergreen forests of the nation were diminishing was alarming and warned that this could have serious consequences on the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals and the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy.
Mr Alex Asare, Acting President of FOSSA, advised woodworkers to focus on the lesser-known species and reduce their dependency on timber species, which were fast becoming extinct.