Forestry Commission and UENR sign MOU to train 400 FC staff
By Selorm GBORBIDZI, Accra
The Forestry Commission (FC) and the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the UENR to train about 400 staff of the Commission.
The programme will see staff of the Commission undergo 16 months of robust training as Range Supervisors.
Chief Executive of FC, John Allotey, indicated that the job of managing forest resources requires that the Commission continuously trains its staff.
He noted that field staff who were once being trained by the Commission’s Training School in Sunyani, are no longer being trained.
These staff are required to work on the ground as rangers taking care of the wildlife and forestry sectors.
The Chief Executive indicated that one of the outcomes of the establishment of the University and the elevation of some of institutes to colleges has been a transition towards the awarding of degrees, leaving the Commission short of middle management staff.
He said, “If you go to the Institute of Renewable Natural Resources – it’s a College now – they train mostly degree holders. What it means is that those we need to be on the field, who were hitherto being trained by the Forestry Commission Training School in Sunyani, are now not present. Meaning we are not churning out that level of manpower.”
“When you go to the field and the work we do, we require that level of expertise on the ground. We require them as rangers, to work in the wildlife and forestry sector.
“So gradually the numbers have been dwindling. By my estimates, in the next year we’ll need to train between 400 and 600 [people] to fill those vacancies,” he stressed.
Mr Allotey noted that although there have been in-house training exercises for staff, these have not come with any certificates, as the Commission is not accredited to give out academic certification.
However in signing this MoU, the staff will not only get the practical training, but will get the certification as well as the assurance of quality tutelage from the tutors from the university.
He also hinted that the Forestry Commission Training Centre (FCTC) at Akyawkrom-Ejisu will be made available for the training.
The Director of the FCTC, Dr Andy Osei Okrah, indicated the readiness of the Centre to host the programme.
He stated, “the FCTC is ready. There is a road map that has been followed. The Human Resource and facilities are ready. In three semesters we’ll be done and have ready personnel for the Forestry Commission.”
Director of Human Resource at the Commission, Anne Brown, noted that “although this training has come after a long period of planning and deliberation, it has come at a crucial time where the Commission needs to fill about 600 roles, due to staff attrition.”
Beyond training staff for the Commission, the programme will also be open to members of the general public who are interested in training to become forest managers.
Dr Ankrah told The Finder in an interview following the signing that Range Supervisors are in charge of supervising boundary cleaning and stock survey in the forest. They are also skilled in tree spotting and surveillance.
They are also skilled in the planting and felling of trees in the forests and general forest management and protection.
Outside of the forest reserves, they are also responsible for plantations and establishments.
