The Forestry Commission Training Centre (FCTC) has held the maiden graduation ceremony of the Certificate in Natural Resources Management (CNRM) Programme at their forecourt in Akyawkrom, marking a historic milestone in the professional training mandate of the Forestry Commission (FC). This milestone underscored the success of its collaboration with the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) in building skilled human capital for sustainable natural resources management
The event commenced with opening remarks by the Chairperson of the Ceremony, Prof. William Oduro, who also serves as the Chair of the Technical Training Committee (TTC) responsible for the governance and academic oversight of professional programmes of the Forestry Commission. He welcomed all guests to the maiden graduation ceremony and described it as a significant milestone for FC. He noted that the programme supports national development priorities through practice-oriented training. He also highlighted the importance of building skilled professionals and formally constituted the assembly, authorising the award of certificates to the graduands.
The Chairman of FC Board, Mr.Isaac Essien, Esq in his address, emphasised the strategic importance of continuous professional development and institutional partnerships in strengthening the Forestry Commission’s capacity to respond to evolving environmental challenges.
In presenting the graduation report, the Acting Director FCTC, Mr. Richard K.Ninnoni, Esq. provided an overview of the CNRM Programme, staining that it was established through a Memorandum of Understanding between the Forestry Commission and the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR). Under the arrangement, UENR serves as the affiliate and supervising institution, playing a key role in student admissions, course validation, examination moderation, and quality assurance. He reported that sixty-seven (67) students in total, made up of fifty-one (51) males and sixteen (16) females,were enrolled at the start of the programme, all of whom successfully completed the intensive 18-month training. The programme combined classroom instruction with practical fieldwork and covered areas such as forest management, wildlife conservation, ecotourism, forest law enforcement, drone piloting, and leadership development, with twenty-one (21) students graduating with distinction.
He also acknowledged challenges encountered during programme implementation, which included transportation constraints for field practicals at the Tenti Bepo Forest Reserve and the Mole National Park, and limited library resources. Despite these setbacks, he reaffirmed the Centre’s commitment to strengthening and sustaining the programme, with plans underway to upgrade it from a certificate to a diploma level and to improve infrastructure and learning resources at FCTC.
The Vice-Chancellor of UNER, Prof. Elvis Asare Bediako, followed with his address, commending the Forestry Commission for its foresight and reaffirmed the University’s commitment to deepening the partnership. He described the CNRM Programme as a critical investment in human capital and emphasised the collective responsibility of graduates to apply their knowledge in safeguarding natural resources for national development.
The valedictory address, delivered by Mr. Asare Awiti Daniel, the Overall Best Student, on behalf of the graduating class, reflected on the transformative nature of the training and emphasised the collective responsibility of graduates to uphold professionalism, integrity, and ethical practice in the management of Ghana’s forest and wildlife resources.
Speaking on behalf of the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon.Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, the Technical Advisor to the Minister, Prof.Jerry Samuel Yaw Kuma, congratulated the graduating class and hammered on the urgent need for technically skilled professionals to address the increasing pressures on Ghana’s natural resources. He listed key challenges including deforestation, climate change, land degradation, illegal mining, and biodiversity loss, noting their adverse impact on livelihoods, food security, and national development. He also outlined ongoing government interventions such as forest landscape restoration initiatives, enforcement against illegal mining activities, and large-scale tree planting programmes, and stressed that the success of these efforts depends largely on the availability of well-trained professionals. Graduates were therefore encouraged to see themselves as ambassadors of sustainable natural resources management and custodians of the nation’s environmental heritage.
The ceremony culminated in the conferment of certificates by the University of Energy and Natural Resources in collaboration with the Forestry Commission, as well as the presentation of awards to outstanding graduates.