The Forestry Commission has attributed its inability to fight illegal mining and other activities to the delays in the release of funds for forestry development activities.

The Deputy Greater Accra Regional Manager of the Forestry Commission, George Agbenowoshi, speaking at a tree planting exercise in collaboration with parliament, highlighted the financial constraints of the Commission.

"We also have the challenge of timely release of funds for forestry-related activities including plantation activities in our sector and issues sent to court have been there for years without redress.

"Issues of mining activities involving Chinese that require an interpreter to translate are often thrown out of court as a result of the lack of an interpreter."

Mr Agbenowoshi said the situation has been compounded by the lack of logistics, such as vehicles and motorbikes, at its district offices.

"Logistics such as pickup vehicles and motorbikes for our field operations and activities at the various districts stations are challenging and we cannot…and that makes it difficult to fight forest offences in our forest reserves. These offences include illegal mining activities, illegal farming, bush fires, illegal lumbering, and illegal logging and chainsaw activities across the country."

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, promised the Commission a pickup vehicle and two motorbikes to boost its operations.

"I want to promise the Forestry Commission that we will procure a pickup and two motorbikes to help facilitate your activities. Hold me to my word"he assured.

Mr Bagbin also commended the survival rate of trees planted by parliament in the last few years.

"We first planted 300 seedlings. Last year we planted 400. This year we are looking to plant 500 seedlings. I am reliably informed that a lot of the trees we planted earlier have survived,"he said.

It is the hope of the government that activities like the Green Ghana Day will help replenish the greenery lost over the years to deforestation, illegal mining, desertification, and urbanization.