The Greater Accra Regional Security Council (REGSEC) has demolished unauthorised structures on portions of the degraded Dodowa forest, following its declaration as a security zone.
The decision was made in response to concerns raised by the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs regarding the escalating encroachment of the forest by private developers.
In a collaborative effort with the Forestry Commission, REGSEC undertook a tree-planting exercise after the demolition to restore the affected areas of the forest.
Speaking to journalists, Daniel Titus Glover, the Chairman of the Greater Accra Regional Security Council, elaborated on the initiative.
“The REGSEC thereafter declared the Dodowa forest and the Katamanso Pinkwai Forest security zones. These are two landmark forests in the Ga-Dangbe history. So, we are here to regain our forests back. With the support of the Forestry Commission, they have given us some trees that we are coming to plant. Then with the support of the DCE and some students around the Nenemei, to do the planting.”
“So, we are here to do two things; we will break these walls and plant the trees back. This place is a security zone. We are regaining our forest back,” he stated.
The youth of Dodowa expressed their excitement over efforts by the government to reclaim the forest.
One of them, Noah Joseph Adamtey spoke to Citi News amidst the demolition exercise.
“We are very happy because this proverbial forest, Dodowa Forest has been here for a very long time; it is a historical forest.”
