A 2-day workshop training for various stakeholders involved in the wildlife and resource management has been held in Takoradi.
Dubbed “Cape Three Points Forest Reserve Stakeholders Forum, 2025,” is to equip stakeholders with the knowledge to promote conservation education in the preservation of forests in the Western Region, particularly the Cape Three Points.
Participants in the workshop included various institutions such as non-governmental organizations, district assemblies, the Environmental Protection Agency, Hen Mpoano, and the Forestry Commission, among others, who were present for the workshop.
Programme Officer of the Wildlife Society Solomon Kenyenso said the forum is a way of building the capacity of civil society organizations and local organizations working within the Cape 3 Point Landscape.
He mentioned projects sponsored under the phase row of the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund and empowering CSOs and local communities to sustainably manage the Cape Three Points reserve.
“The CPF is currently sponsoring us to build capacity of CSOs and local organizations working within the Cape 3 Point Landscape and in communities, the French communities, to build their capacity in different aspects to improve on the effective conservation and management of the Cape 3 Point forest reserves.
Some of our interventions we are targeting is to provide capacity building in fundraising and financial management and project management for key beneficiary groups like well-established CSOs, emerging and small CSOs, the CREMA, communities, CREMA members, and women-led organizations, so much so that we are able to build their capacity to enhance their support for the effective protection and management of the Cape 3 Point River,”
“So this forum today is to bring key stakeholders together to share ideas and deliberate on the key issues and the challenges facing the landscape so that we take this input, and then that will inform much more of what we intend to train our beneficiaries on. We are doing all of this to support, the Forestry Commission, the Forest Services Division to ensure that Cape 3 Point is protected to the best of its ability”.
For his part, a representative of Hen Mpoano, David Osei, revealed how forest reserves are under threat, highlighting that about nine hectares of forest land are being lost due to illegal mining.
He stressed the need to increase efforts to save the forest from further deteriorating.
“Currently, I will say that our forest is under threat. We are losing our forest very fast. And the presentation made by the stand district manager of FSD pointed out that, as of now, we’ve lost about nine hectares of forest land in Cape Three Points as a result of illegal mining, and this is not good. So, the situation is very dire.
And if we don’t, you know, increase our efforts, we might end up losing the entire forest. So I think it’s about time that we act”
“So, about this taking all the forum with the Cape 3 Point at full cost, what does this mean to anyone? It means a lot to us because we believe that one NGO cannot solve the whole problem of Cape Fear Point, and we have to, you know, come together as a collective front to fight this issue that is affecting the Cape Three Points. So I think that if we put the energies together, I think we can service it.
But if we go as individuals, we will not have that strength to fight the fight that we need to fight to, believe the 3.4 is of its problems. Do you see any end to the redundancies being done in The Cape 3 Point after this stakeholder? I wouldn’t say outright, but it might reduce to some extent because even areas where they don’t have serious issues. So you have some illegal activities ongoing, but we feel that, if we come together, at least we can reduce the threat to some percentage.”
As part of the workshop, participants were placed into groups to share ideas on the way forward in forest conservation.
Participants shared insights from the workshop and how to apply the knowledge and skills in their line of duty.
