- NICOL Forests UK
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NICOL Forests UK Limited 
Type Private Company Limited by Shares Founded 2009 Headquarters London, England, UK Website [] NICOL Forests UK Limited is a UK-registered company [1] which acts as the UK arm of the Ghanaian-based National Interest Company Limited (NICOL). The director of the UK company is Neil McCartney.
NICOL was incorporated in Accra on 10 November 2005 (Certificate of Incorporation No. CA - 21, 620) and is authorised, among other things, to carry on business in reforestation, agro-forestry and biodiesel production. The registered office is at P.O. Box M140, Accra, Ghana.
The directors of NICOL are Neil McCartney, Akyaaba Addai-Sebo, Kofi Ashiboe-Mensah and Nana Akua Owusu. Kofi Akainyah is the company secretary.
NICOL has signed Land Lease Contracts and Benefit Sharing Agreements with the Ghanaian Forestry Commission covering three areas of degraded forest-reserve land for the purpose of developing commercial forest plantations:
- Boufoum Forest Reserve in the Agogo Forest District of Ashanti Region, Ghana;
- Boufoum Forest Reserve in the Kumawu Forest District of Ashanti Region, Ghana; and
- Dede Forest Reserve in the Begoro District of the Eastern Region, Ghana
It is negotiating with the Forestry Commission and landowners for further sections of on-reserve and off-reserve land.
The idea of a “national interest” holding company was originally discussed in about 2000 by a group of conscientious individuals with strong background in conflict prevention and transformation, preventive diplomacy and sustainable development. They argued that some of the root causes of most internal conflicts are poverty, under-development and unfair global trade. They tasked themselves into the development of business and investment models for environmental-friendly social development projects to alleviate poverty and environmental degradation.
The NICOL Board of Directors
Mr. Akyaaba Addai-Sebo: Independent Consultant on Preventive Diplomacy, National Development and Resource Mobilisation.[2][3] Director of Tribute Inspirations Limited and Director of Cultural and Political Relations at Listen Campaigns Limited, London, UK. Formerly Special Advisor to His Excellency Amara Essy, Secretary-General of the OAU and Chairman of AU Commission. Special Envoy of International Alert,[4] and helped to broker peace in Liberia and Sierra Leone. Appointed by President Hilla Liman as member of the Presidential Commission on Ghana-US Relations in 1981. Has written widely on peace and conflict, contemporary African politics and national security. Co-edited the book Our Story: A Handbook of African History and Contemporary Issues in 1988 [5] and founded Black History Month in the UK in October 1987.[6]
Mr. Kofi Asheboi-Mensah: Consultant Economist and Management Counsellor. Clients have included the Ministries of Housing and Local Government, UNDP, World Bank, International NGOs and private industry. Lately working on Revenue Generation for the Metropolitan Assemblies in Ghana for the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment. Worked for a long time with the Ministries of Finance and Economic Planning and later appointed the Minister of Trade.
Ms. Nana Akua Owusu: Several years of experience working as administrator in the voluntary sector in the UK and currently a Senior Partner at the Speech and Hearing Centre, Accra. She is the founder of AwaaWaa2, an NGO supporting children with communication disabilities and their families. Formerly Principal Speech and Language Therapist, Lambeth NHS Primary Care Trust, UK.
Mr. Neil McCartney: UK-based entrepreneur who is involved in a number of energy, media and telecommunications projects in Africa and Asia. Among other things, he is also managing director of McCartney Media, a consultancy which specialises in media and telecommunications, and has nearly 30 years experience of working in and commenting on activities in these fields. He is a Director of Tribute Inspirations Limited and Director of Business Affairs at Listen Campaigns Limited, London, UK.
Mr. Kofi Akainyah: Company Secretary, Legal Practitioner (Solicitor).
Principal Advisor: Professor Kwabena Tufuor, Forestry Consultant and formerly CEO of Forestry Commission. Professor Tufor is a leading figure in the regeneration of forestry in Ghana and has a high reputation both in Ghana and in international agencies such as the UN, WHO and other preeminent sustainable forestry and environmental development organisation.
References
- ^ Company details on website of Companies House
- ^ Forum 2000 website
- ^ Article in British Library Direct
- ^ International Alert website
- ^ Open Library website
- ^ Black History Month website
External links
Categories:- Companies of the United Kingdom
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