Partners of Nature, Africa (PONA) has launched a galamsey site rejuvenation project nursery in the Atwima Mponua District of the Ashanti Region.
The nursery holds 10,000 rubber seedlings waiting to be transplanted unto reclaimed galamsey sites in the area.
The linguist who represented the Nkawie Hene, Nana Amakwaatia expressed gratitude to Partners of Nature, Africa for including Atwima Mponua in the galamsey sites the NGO is set to reclaim.
He stated that galamseyers have left many uncovered pits in the area.
According to him, not only has galamsey activities damaged their farm lands and forests, but have become death traps for residents.
“This is good news for us and I entreat the youth and people within the Atwima Mponua District to be involved in taking care of the inheritance that have been left for us by PONA because we are the immediate beneficiaries” he added.
Director of Operations of PONA, Mr. Forster Amofah said after six years of planting the rubber tree, it becomes ripe with latex which is used in producing rubber.
He added that the plant is of immense economic value as after about forty years, the rubber plants can also be harvested and used as timber.
He further explained that the project will not only rejuvenate and preserve the ecosystem; it will also create job avenues for the youth within the catchment area.
Mr. Amofah called on the Chiefs, opinion leaders and beneficiaries of the project to accept the exercise as theirs and work to sustain and maintain the rubber plants adding that within four months, the galamsey pits would have been filled and ready for planting.
In a speech read in the stead of the District Chief Executive (DCE) of the Atwima Mponua district, Mr. William Darko by Mr. Osei Kwadwo, NADMO boss in the area, the DCE commended PONA for contributing to the efforts of government at reclaiming lands lost to galamsey.
PONA is an NGO established to protect the environment of the rural areas, improve the quality of lives of people living in rural communities through proper environmental practices and projects that would make them self-sufficient.
The Organization has toured some 250 towns and villages within the Ashanti, Eastern, Brong Ahafo, Northern and Western regions and has reclaimed many galamsey sites including Peminase in the Ejisu Juaben district of the Ashanti region.
Source: cedinewsonline.com
