The Forestry Commission (FC) has admitted 84 students into the third cohort of its Certificate in Natural Resources Management (CNRM) Programme as part of efforts to build a technically skilled workforce to combat illegal mining, illegal logging and other environmental threats confronting the country.
The Commission disclosed this in a post published on its official Facebook page following the third matriculation ceremony held at the Forestry Commission Training Centre (FCTC) at Akyawkrom in the Ejisu Municipality of the Ashanti Region.
The 18-month certificate programme, run in affiliation with the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR), is intended to equip participants with the practical and technical skills needed to support sustainable management of Ghana’s forests, wildlife and other natural resources.
The matriculation ceremony brought together traditional authorities, members of the Forestry Commission Board, the Commission’s Executive Management, lecturers from UENR’s School of Natural Resources, officials of the Forestry Commission Training Centre and representatives of the Forest Research Institute of Ghana (FORIG).
Addressing the ceremony, the Chief Executive of the Forestry Commission, Dr Hugh Brown, described the programme as a strategic investment in developing the technical capacity required to support the Commission’s expanding mandate in forest governance, biodiversity conservation, landscape restoration and national reforestation.
He noted that the programme was established in 2023 through a Memorandum of Understanding between the Forestry Commission and UENR and has since enrolled 232 students.
According to Dr Brown, the Forestry Commission is subsidising approximately 60 per cent of tuition fees for the current intake while investing in field equipment to strengthen practical training.
He also announced that the Commission is fully sponsoring the tuition and accommodation of nine staff members enrolled in the current cohort.
Dr Brown disclosed that 50 graduates from the first two batches have already been engaged by the Commission on contract, pending financial clearance for their permanent employment.
Highlighting the Commission’s recent achievements, he said more than 30 million tree seedlings were planted under the 2025 Tree for Life Reforestation Initiative.
He further noted that Ghana became the first African country to issue Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) licences for legally verified timber exports to the European Union.
According to him, the Commission has also intensified operations against illegal mining, illegal logging and other environmental crimes within forest reserves and protected areas.
Representing the Registrar of UENR, the Deputy Registrar and Head of Human Resource, Mr Hayford Asare, said the matriculation ceremony formally admitted the students into the University’s academic community.
He administered the matriculation oath and supervised the signing of the matriculation register, reminding the students of their responsibility to uphold the University’s regulations and pursue their studies diligently.
Delivering remarks on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor of UENR, the Dean of the School of Natural Resources, Prof. Daniel Akoto Sarfo, described the programme as a timely response to the growing demand for competent technical personnel in the natural resources sector.
He said the competency-based curriculum combines classroom instruction with extensive field training to prepare students to tackle illegal logging, bushfires, illegal mining, land degradation, climate change and biodiversity loss.
Prof. Sarfo urged the students to demonstrate integrity, professionalism and environmental stewardship throughout their studies.
The Acting Director of the Forestry Commission Training Centre, Mr Richard K. Ninnoni, said 84 students were admitted from a total of 185 applicants for the 2026 academic year.
He noted that the cohort includes a record 34 women, representing 40 per cent of the intake, reflecting growing interest in the programme.
MrNinnoni appealed to government and development partners to support the acquisition of a dedicated bus and the construction of hostel facilities to improve practical field training and student welfare.
Speaking on behalf of the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, the Minister’s Technical Advisor, Prof. Jerry Samuel Yaw Kuma, commended the Forestry Commission for introducing the programme to address the shortage of frontline technical personnel needed for sustainable forest and wildlife management.
He observed that illegal logging, illegal mining, bushfires, biodiversity loss and climate change continue to threaten Ghana’s natural resources, underscoring the need for a technically competent workforce.
Prof. Kuma disclosed that the Ministry is collaborating with the Forestry Commission and the Ministry of Finance to secure financial clearance for the permanent recruitment of graduates of the programme.
He also pledged the Ministry’s support towards the acquisition of a bus and the construction of hostel facilities for the training centre.
Chairman of the occasion and Chairman of the Programme’s Technical Training Committee, Prof. William Oduro, reminded the students that natural resource management is fundamentally about responsible stewardship.
He urged them to become agents of positive environmental change by promoting sustainable practices and helping reverse the destruction of Ghana’s forests and other natural resources.
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