Forestry Commission snubs Akufo-Addo’s Appointment

An official Presidential directive to the Forestry Commission on who should take office as Executive Director of the Forest Services Division (FSD) has been completely disregarded and ignored as though the directive came from a lame duck Presidency or a toothless bulldog that is unable to bite.

The development has fueled a growing anger that has reached boiling point among workers at the Commission and the tension could most likely erupt into protests and sit-down strikes in a matter of days.

A June 20, 2022 official letter sighted by The New Publisher was clear and direct that President Nana Akufo-Addo has appointed professional forester Mr. Hugh C.A. Brown as the Executive Director of the Forest Services Division (FSD) of the Forestry Commission.

The said document of appointment, signed by Mrs. Mabel Amoako-Atta, Secretary at the Public Services Commission noted: “I have the honour to inform you that His Excellency the President has, in accordance with the advice of the Governing Board of the Forestry Commission, given in consultation with the Public Services Commission, has promoted you to the position of Executive Director (Forest Services Division) of the Forestry Commission…”

The letter noted that Brown’s appointment took effect from June 14, 2022, and charged him to help to provide strategic vision and direction for the achievement of the strategic and business objectives and goals of the FSD and the Forestry Commission.

The appointment of C.K. Brown, as stated in the letter, was to have taken effect from June 14, 2022 and by the status of the Commission, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Forestry Commission, Mr. John Allotey was instructed to direct the officer currently holding the position in an Acting capacity to hand offer to the properly appointed Mr. Brown but this Presidential directive has been ignored despite the tensed environment it has created at the Commission.

As at press time of Tuesday July 12, Edith Abruquah was still in occupancy of the position Executive Director of the Forest Services Division (FSD) while the person duly appointed to take over hangs in the air unable to hit the ground running.

It curious that a Presidential-appointment, properly done through the Public Services Commission, in consultation with the requisite agencies, could be blatantly disregarded with confidence even though the continuous disregard is causing a tensed working environment and making the appointing authority appear weak.

Workers at the Commission have cautioned that the continuous stay in office by Mrs. Abruquah when her handing over date is long overdue is counter-productive.

They have raised all manner of speculations and suspicion that may the interest of the Chief Executive in the illegitimate-hanging-on of Mrs. Abruquah.

Who Is Huge Brown?

Mr. Hugh is a certified forester with over 28 years of work experience in tropical forest management, protection and development.

He currently represents Africa on the steering committee of TEAKNET, an international network of institutions, companies and individuals involved in the cultivation, research, harvesting, processing and marketing of teak timber.

He was instrumental in helping Ghana win the bid to host the upcoming World Teak Conference (WTC 2022) in September this year.

Under Mr. Hugh’s leadership as Director of Operations (Plantations) of the FSD, over 450,000 hectares of degraded forest land is currently under restoration nationwide, employing various landscape restoration interventions.

Mr. Hugh Brown holds a BSc. in Natural Resources Management, an MBA from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana, and Masters in Forestry from Yale University, USA.

His professional affiliations include Ghana Institute of Foresters (member, 1994); Society of American Foresters (Certified Forester, 2010), and Society for Ecological Restoration (member, 2010; Certified Ecological Restoration Practitioner, 2018).