The Ambassador to the SheaPark Resource Hub Project and Paramount Queen Mother of the Sing Traditional Area, Pognaa Salma Chaana Abdul-Razak, has joined Buipewura Jinapor II, Paramount Chief of the Buipe Traditional Area, to celebrate Shea Day in Buipe.
According to her, the annual observance should serve not only as a celebration of the shea tree but also as a renewed commitment to conserving it for future generations. She called for urgent action to protect Ghana's shea trees, warning that the future of one of the country's most valuable natural resources depends on the collective efforts of government, traditional authorities, development partners, and local communities.
The event brought together chiefs, queenmothers, representatives of the Right Honourable Speaker of Parliament Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, officials of the Global Shea Alliance, the Forestry Commission, women shea processors, and stakeholders across Ghana's shea value chain.
Addressing attendees, Dr Joseph Appiah-Gyapong, Director In-charge of Climate Change at the Forestry Commission, highlighted the growing threats facing the shea ecosystem across West Africa. "Across West Africa, we are losing an estimated eight million shea trees every year. Population growth, agricultural expansion, bushfires, unsustainable tree removal and the impacts of climate change are placing unprecedented pressure on our shared resources," he said.
He noted that if the current trend continues, projections indicate that global demand for shea products will soon outstrip supply, posing significant environmental and economic risks for countries that depend on the industry.
Speaking at the event, the Ambassador urged stronger collaboration among traditional authorities, government institutions, development partners, and local communities to safeguard the future of the shea sector. "There is no project that can succeed without the involvement of traditional leaders. Community engagement begins with our chiefs and queenmothers, and their leadership remains critical to protecting our natural resources," she stated.
Representing the Right Honourable Speaker of Parliament, the representative congratulated the organisers and reaffirmed the Speaker's commitment to supporting sustainable development within Ghana's shea industry, stating that strengthening partnerships and increasing investments in the sector would create jobs, improve livelihoods, and contribute significantly to climate resilience.
The Ambassador also underscored the central role women continue to play in the shea value chain, describing them as the industry's backbone whose contributions have sustained families and communities for generations. She announced that, through the SheaPark Resource Hub Project, more than 30,000 shea seedlings have already been planted in the Upper West Region.
"As ambassadors of the SheaPark Resource Hub, we have already planted over 30,000 shea seedlings. Today, I encourage every Ghanaian to plant more trees and help secure a greener future for generations to come," she said.
Speaking on behalf of the Global Shea Alliance, Idi Zakaria described the shea tree as one of the region's most valuable environmental and economic assets, stressing the need for governments, traditional authorities, research institutions, development partners, and the private sector to work together to secure its future.
The event concluded with a renewed commitment by stakeholders to strengthen conservation efforts, promote sustainable harvesting practices, and expand investments in Ghana's shea sector as part of broader efforts to combat climate change and improve livelihoods across the northern regions.
