GH¢19bn warning: Can Ghana save its forests?

Planting trees is easy to talk about. Admitting that Ghana is steadily losing its forests and taking real action to stop it is much harder.

When Professor Martin Oteng Ababio says it will take more than GH¢19 billion to restore degraded forest lands, it should give all of us pause.

That figure is not just about money; it is a reflection of how much damage has already been done.

In his interview with The Ghanaian Times, he described the situation as a “time bomb”.

That may sound dramatic, but it is not far from the truth. Across the country, forests are being cleared at an alarming rate. Illegal mining ‘galamsey’ continues to destroy vast stretches of land.

Chainsaw operators and charcoal producers are also taking their toll, often unchecked.

What is worrying is that we already know the problem. We have talked about it for years. Yet the destruction continues.

Part of the difficulty lies in how we approach solutions. Tree planting has become the go-to response.

While it is important, it is only the beginning.

As Prof. Ababio rightly notes, planting is the easy part. Keeping those trees alive, watering them, protecting them, ensuring they grow is where the real work lies. Too often, we celebrate planting exercises, only to forget about them weeks later.

There is also the question of how we fund restoration. The Forest Plantation Development Fund was set up to support reforestation efforts, but it has struggled to make the impact many had hoped for.

 A grant-based system that does not recover funds is difficult to sustain, and over time, it weakens the very institution meant to lead the effort.

Add to this the gaps in our laws, where some valuable timber exports are not even taxed, make it become clear that the system is not working as it should.

But this is not just about institutions or policies. It is about priorities.

If Ghana is serious about protecting its future, then forest conservation must be treated as a national responsibility, not an occasional campaign.

Laws against illegal mining and logging must be enforced firmly and fairly.

Communities must be supported to protect the lands they depend on. And the private sector must see forest restoration not as charity, but as an investment in sustainability.

There is still hope. The ongoing efforts to review and restructure the Fund offer a chance to correct past mistakes. But this must lead to real change not just another set of recommendations.

The truth is simple: we cannot destroy our forests and expect to thrive.

The Ghanaian Times believes this is the moment for action.

Not tomorrow, not next year, now! Because if we fail to act, the cost will not only be measured in billions of cedis, but in the kind of country we leave behind.

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