Lumber supply in ghana receives widespread news reportage

Lumber supply in ghana receives widespread news reportage

Ghana - 22 March, 2013

The domestic lumber supply situation in Ghana has been in the spotlight, receiving a widespread reportage from over ten (10) media houses within a period of one week. The nation-wide coverage on a new policy and an innovative way to supply lumber to the domestic market was carried by a mix of media channels including Television and Radio stations as well as the Print and Online platforms.

The reportage followed a successful TBI Ghana encounter with a section of media houses in Ghana on Friday, March 12, 2013. The objective was to increase public awareness of the illegal chainsaw milling problem in Ghana and to create a permanent working relationship with the media in addressing the problem. The encounter organised by the Communication Unit of the TBI Ghana Programme interacted with nineteen (19) Journalists drawn from seventeen (17) media houses with nation-wide coverage.

In a plenary session held at the TBI Ghana conference room, Journalists shared in presentations made on the chainsaw dilemma in Ghana, the interventions by the EU Chainsaw Milling project and innovative ways to improve the domestic lumber supply in Ghana. Mr. Samuel Nketiah, the Programme Director of TBI Ghana, Mr. James Parker, the National Coordinator of the EU Chainsaw Project and Dr. Kyereh Boateng, the Scientific Coordinator of TBI Ghana Programme made the presentations.

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Representatives of the Forestry Commission (Mr. Alex Boadu) and the Forestry Research Institute of Ghana (Dr. Emmanuel Marfo) who are members of the EU Chainsaw Milling Project Management Team were also present to offer support. The encounter created an open space for journalists to further probe the issues and also make suggestions to improve future collaboration with TBI Ghana.

A key recommendation currently receiving the serious attention of the TBI Ghana Communication Unit is the need to facilitate the establishment of a Network of Environmental Journalists to help improve the visibility of TBI Ghana, including the EU Chainsaw Milling project and facilitate information dissemination on environmental issues in Ghana.

Below are links to some of the online reportage: