Councils Urged To Emulate Buea, Mbonge and Kumba 1 in Reforestation
The Secretary General at the Southwest Governor’s Office, Clement Fondikum, has called on councils in the Southwest Region to follow the examples of the Buea, Mbonge and Kumba 1 Municipalities in fighting climate change and restoring degraded landscapes through tree planting.
By Sidonice Ndaka
The SG made this call recently during the launch of the 2016 tree planting season in Buea. Mr. Ndikum said these three councils unlike the others were so determined in their efforts against climate change and desertification they pre-financed tree planting during the 2015 tree planting season. “Without this initiative, the 2015 tree reforestation programme would have been another investment in futility” He added.
The Southwest SG disclosed that tree planting grants for the Southwest Region has been increased from FCFA 71 million in 2015 to 95 million this year. This according to him, is a demonstration of government’s efforts to regenerate highly degraded forests in the region as well as fight against climate change and desertification.
Speaking to the GV recently, the 3rd Deputy Mayor of Buea Council, Mosoko Edward Motuwe, said the council is spearing no effort to ensuring that what MINFOF has allocated to councils for tree planting is used judiciously. He disclosed that the council is doing her best to stop people from carrying out activities that degrade the environment.
Mr. Mosoko revealed that the council has been doing a lot as far as fighting climate change and restoring degraded landscapes is concerned.
“Buea Council in line with government’s vision to regenerate highly degraded forests and fight against climate change and desertification has been working with the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife (MINFOF) in the mount Cameroon area. We have been working with MINFOF for over five years to embellish the municipality and re-forestate areas degraded especially the mount Cameroon fuel plantation which has been identified to be a key point of interest. For instance the council, in collaboration with MINFOF, planted 7000 and 5000 tress in 2014 and 2015 respectively, within the municipality” he expounded.
The 3rd Deputy Mayor said over 20,000 trees have been earmarked this 2016 to be planted in the Council Forest and other strategic areas within the municipality to fight deforestation and mitigate climate change effects. Mr. Mosoko said special attention will be given to the Mount Cameroon Area during the tree planting exercise. Meanwhile plans are underway to improve on community livelihoods in the Mount Cameroon Area “The council will improve on the livelihood of the villages around the mount Cameroon areas in order to manage the mountain and the resources around it in a sustainable manner” Mr. Mosoko added.
The Deputy Mayor said they are bent on achieving their goal as they work very closely with technicians of MINFOF in carrying out an inventory on the Mount Cameroon Fuel Plantation. This will be preceded by the production of a management plan for the Fuel Plantation.
