The Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission has inaugurated the Sissala-Kassena- Fraah Community Resource Management Area, (CREMA) in Tumu and the Bulkawe Community Resource Management Area (CREMA) in Sandema to enable the local communities manage forest and wildlife resources on their own lands in the area.
The CREMA concept is in line with a Community and Collaborative Wildlife Management Policy developed by Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission (FC) in 2000, in accordance with Section 1(1) of the Wild Animals Preservation Act, Act 43 of 1961.
The Community Resource Management Area concept is intended to empower land owners, Traditional Authorities, land users and local community members at large, to take charge of their natural resources and sustainably manage them for needed socio-economic and ecological benefits.
At separate events held in Sandema in the Builsa North District, and Tumu in the Sissala East Municipality, the Executive Director of the Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission, Bernard Asamoah-Boateng, observed that the CREMA concept has great potentials to mediate a balance between conservation and development across the country.
The Operations Manager, in charge of Protected Areas, of the Wildlife Division, Mr. Umaru Dubiru Farouk, who spoke on behalf of the Executive Director, disclosed that the CREMAs were among six that were established in the Western Wildlife Corridor through the Sustainable Land and Water Management Project (SLWMP) with Global Environment Facility (GEF) grant under the auspices of the World Bank, and urged the CREMA Executives to work closely with the District and Municipal Assemblies so as to derive the needed political support and backing during implementation phase of the CREMA Management Plan.
The two separate inaugural ceremonies brought together, Traditional Authorities, opinion leaders, heads of decentralized department, Court Magistrates, youth and women’s groups, CRMC and CEC members of both CREMAs and Assembly members among others.
In an interview with GBCONLINE, the Manager of the Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission in charge of the five Regions of Northern Ghana, Joseph Binlinla disclosed that the operational area of the six CREMAs cover an area of approximately 700,000 hectares of the Northern Savanna Ecological Zone.
While presenting an overview of the project in the Savannah Ecological zone, he drew the awareness of the stakeholders at the launch to existing national policy and legal framework of the project.
Mr. Binlinla indicated that, government structures have been formed and put in place in all the CREMA constituent communities, and that Executives have started in earnest, the management of their resources through the guidance of the Regional Office of the Wildlife Division.
He added that, CREMA constitution has also been prepared by the communities taking into consideration local decision making systems, progressive cultures and traditions.
A Legitimate and enforceable by-law has also been passed by the general house Assembly of the concerned Municipal and District Assemblies and passed by the General House Assembly and subsequently gazetted in the Government Bulletin by the Government Publisher, in accordance with the local Government Act 462 of 1993.
He disclosed that, Bulkawe as one of the six CREMAs comprising fifteen (15) constituent Communities including Wupensa, Yipala, Deninga, Siniensi, Banchongsa, Kanderma, Kalijisa, Balansa, Nakong, Katiu, Doborinsa, Kari, Namonsa, Chiana and Kardema.
Executives of the CREMAs were later sworn into office by a District Court Magistrate and a Certificate of Devolution of Management Authority, signed by the Minister of Land and Natural Resources handed to chairmen of the two CREMAs.
Story by filed by: Emmanuel Akayeti.
