Forestry Commission presents GH¢500,000 to Appiatse Support Fund

The Forestry Commission on Monday presented GH¢500,000 to the Appiatse Support Fund towards the reconstruction of the community razed by an explosion on January 20, this year.

The Commission donated GH¢100,000 cash and GH¢400,000 in wood products for the reconstruction exercise of the Appiatse Township.

Mr John Allotey, the Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Commission, presented the cash to Reverend Dr Joyce Rosaline Aryee, the Chairperson of the Appiatse Support Fund Committee.

He said the Commission was responding to the call from the Committee to support the Fund and as an Agency under the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resource, Management saw it right to support.

He said the Commission had already sent the wood to be used for the roofing and other activities to be delivered at Appiatse site for work to commence.

“As part of the reconstruction exercise, they will need wood, hence the supply of the woods,” he said.

The CEO said the Commission was in talks with some companies to mobilise some support to contribute to the Fund.

Rev. Aryee said the donation was good news for the Committee responsible for the reconstruction exercise.

She reiterated the President’s instructions to use the Fund to rebuild a green, sustainable and model community for the people of Appiatse.

She said as a country such issues always had a way of bringing Ghanaians together.

Rev. Aryee said the term of reference of the committee was to solicit funds to support the Appiatse victims and this should be done in a transparent manner.

The Chairperson commended the management of the Commission for coming to support the Fund, adding that the Committee needed to give the victims a decent accommodation.

Mr Benito Owusu Bio, Deputy Minister for the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, said the support had come at the right time because the Committee needed wood for roofing purposes.

He said a Mining Company had given the Committee an uncompleted structure, which would be completed to accommodate some of the victims.

“We need about 10,000 woods but currently we have about 2,000 and hope more will come later,” he added.

He appealed for more support for the reconstruction exercise to better accommodate the victims.

The Appiatse Support Fund was established following an explosion which occurred when a truck carrying explosives for mining was involved in an accident at the town.

The community was razed by the explosion.

Thirteen people died from the incident while over hundred people suffered various degrees of injuries.

The Government established the Fund to support the rebuilding of the community.