The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Forestry Commission, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie has been honoured for his exemplary leadership and outstanding contribution to the growth of the public sector.

Mr. Afriyie popularly known as ‘Sir John’ received the award at the Africa Public Sector Conference and Awards (APSCA) held in Accra to celebrate the outstanding achievement of exceptional public servants who have made the continent proud through their contributions.

Public agencies, institutions and organisations that have impacted the populace in their respective countries in meaningful and significant ways were also honoured for their efforts towards the development and growth of the country, GNA reports.

Speaking to the media after the awards, Mr. Owusu Afriyie dedicated the honour to the Board, management and staff of the Forestry Commission who had in diverse ways worked assiduously and contributed to the achievement of the Commission’s goals and aspirations.

“I could not have done it alone but through the dedication of the staff who were willing to go all out to achieve the targets,” he said.

Mr. Afriyie said over the last three years the Forestry Commission has created over 60,000 jobs under its reforestation programme, which seeks to help fight global warming and also the countless number of people involved in nursery.

He said the team had so far planted over 30 million trees, which is unprecedented in the history of the Forestry Commission and the country.

Besides, he said, through the modified taungya system (MTS), a co-management system between the Forestry Commission and smallholder farmers, the Forestry Commission had been able to improve the environment and households’ livelihoods.

The MTS allows intercropping of timber and food crops and entitles farmers to 100 per cent of the food produce and a 40 per cent share in the timber revenues in return for their contribution to tree planting, maintenance and protection.

Mr. Afriyie expressed the hope that with the quick resolutions of the challenges surrounding the salaries of the youth engaged in the reforestation programme, the Forestry Commission would improve on what has been done so far.