UN delegation visits Okyenhene; announces US$1million grant for tree planting project

A delegation of agencies under the United Nations (UN) on Thursday, August 19, 2021, paid a historic courtesy call on Okyenhene Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin at his Palace at Kibi in the Akyem Abuakwa Kingdom of the Eastern Region.

Led by the substantive UN Resident Coordinator in Ghana Charles Abani, the objective of the visit was in fulfilment of deliberations that had gone on in the last two years.

It was also to confirm that a grant of US$1million has been secured to support the tree planning project of the Okyenhene through his Okyeman Environmental Foundation.

Okyenhene Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin is seeking to plant 25 million trees in his Kingdom to avert the harm done the environment by the activities of illegal mining, logging of trees.

Speaking on the purpose of the visit in the presence of the Okyenhene and his sub-chiefs and elders, Charles Abani who is UN Resident Coordinator in Ghana commended Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin for his active work, particularly through the Okyeman Environment Foundation, to address issues relating to the environment, health and education.

He said the UN through its agencies [UNDP, UNICEF, WHO, UNEP and UNV] together with OEF have been working jointly to develop a programme that addresses multiple interconnected challenges in the Kingdom and to mobilize resources to make this possible.

UN Resident Coordinator in Ghana Charles Abani

According to the UN Resident Coordinator, the joint efforts have yielded significant results that have led to the development of a multi-sectoral programme that builds on existing initiatives implemented by the environmental foundation of the Okyenhene.

“We [the UN Country Office in Ghana] have received a total grant amount of 1 million dollars from the UN Human Security Trust Fund to implement development initiatives together with the Okyeman Environment Foundation and other stakeholders. This will be supported with co-funding of another $1.3 million dollar from the participating UN Agencies to address multiple development issues and provide an impetus to sustain the process,” Mr. Abani announced.

The UN Resident Coordinator noted that his outfit hopes that it will support and empower local structures to respond to some of the challenges and help leverage the opportunity to mobilize more resources.

Welcoming his guest, Okyenhene Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin emphasized the importance of respecting nature to foster sustainable development.

His Royal Majesty said for sustainable development to be effective and the economy to grow, the locals of the various communities must be given the platform to play a key role.

Raising concern over how systems are centralized, Okyenhene, Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin stressed that “We need to understand that once we bring the decision and management to the locals, things will be better.”

Okyenhene Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin

The Okyenhene said although there are people who doubt climate change and its effects, it is important to educate them to protect the environment for future generations to benefit.

On his part, Mr. Eugene Owusu who is a special advisor to President Akufo-Addo on the Sustainable Development Goals told journalists that the intervention by the UN is significant to help Ghana achieve the SDGs that focuses on health, education, and the environment.

He said while it is very clear that climate change has become a pressing and present danger to the world, it is an essential threat that needs to be dealt with.

“In the context of that challenge that we do face there are a number of national initiatives that support climate change action but we came to Okyeman in the context of a partnership between the Okyehene Environmental Foundation and the UN Country team,” Mr. Eugene Owusu shared.

The special advisor to the President on the SDGs added, “My unit and the President is interested in this because it is very important to mitigate climate action. This is consistent with the green Ghana agenda that was launched recently by the Ministry of Lands and Natural resources.”

About the UN programme with the Okyenhene Environmental Foundation:

Over the three-year period, the programme is expected to benefit over 1.3 million people (671,921 women and 505,907 children between the ages of 0-14 years) spanning across 5 out of the 14 districts of the Eastern Region.

As livelihood is a critical issue, an absence of which forces many into illegal mining and exploitation of the natural resources, the programme will explore and establish community-based alternative livelihood interventions for youth, women and vulnerable population by piloting the Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) mechanism in consultation with local groups, and the Okyeman Environment Foundation.

The UN will build the capacity of local structures to make considerable investment in the reforestation program and manage their natural resources. This would be hinged on sustainable environmental governance and management, ecotourism, livelihoods empowerment, and the promotion of better health and education outcomes.

The project will support local initiative to plant 3 million trees over the next 3 years to restore degraded landscapes and create awareness on best agroforestry practices in the region. The goal is to plant fast maturing tree species that can be harvested periodically for its economic benefits and regrown and establish renewable forestry plantations for the communities.