Forest degradation threatens human survival in Ghana: official

Deforestation and forest degradation posed major risks to human survival in Ghana, the Chief forest Conservator warned on Thursday.

Addressing the media to commemorate this year's International Day of the forest which fell on Thursday , Kwadwo Owusu-Afriyie, Chief Executive Officer of the forestry Commission noted that the degradation has severe negative impact on the country's eco-systems.

Activities such as illegal lumbering, uncontrolled farming methods, wild fires needed to be checked, or they would play havoc to the country's forests.

"Deforestation and forest degradation through illegal forest activities is perhaps the greatest challenge to forest management today and the consequences are being manifested through adverse climate change impacts," he noted.

He said that the notable consequences of these activities included the silting and drying up of many water bodies.

Ghana has since Monday been hosting the five-day 2019 edition African Climate Week with the aim of developing the process for the transformation of agriculture and food systems in particular within the dynamic rural setting.

Agriculture transformation has been a priority on sustainable development agenda of the Africa Union.

"Some of the other impacts include high temperatures and rise in sea levels, unreliable rainfall patterns and food insecurity

"forests are important to human lives and there is the need for all and sundry to support measures aimed at protecting forest resources against wanton destruction," Owusu-Afriyie stressed.

Through education, the CEO expressed confidence that Ghanaians would begin to appreciate the need to restore the country's depleted forests.