The STAR of the Quarter Award recognises employees at Form Ghana who embody excellence through both individual achievement and their positive impact on teammates, operations, and our safety culture. In forestry operations where every action matters and lives depend on sound judgment, these awards celebrate the people who make our entire operation stronger.
At Form Ghana, we hold one belief above all others: people are the most critical part of the company. This isn't a slogan painted on walls; it's the foundation of every decision we make. Our forestry operations succeed or fail based on the skill, judgment, and dedication of our workforce.
We recognise that behind every safely felled tree, every piece of maintained equipment, every met deadline, and every improvement is a person who chose to bring their best to work that day.
We don't just employ workers; we entrust them with responsibilities that require courage, skill, and unwavering attention. In return, we owe them recognition, support, and an environment where their safety and growth are non-negotiable priorities.
"When someone goes beyond what's expected - by mentoring a new worker, maintaining excellent safety standards, or suggesting an improvement that makes everyone's job easier - we acknowledge it publicly," explains Mariam Awuni, Form Ghana's Human Resources Manager.
Recognition matters
Mariam says, "Recognition matters because everyone wants to know their work means something".
It tells recipients we see them and value their contributions. In demanding work environments, this acknowledgement is essential because it builds collaboration, spreads best practices, and reminds us that exceptional work doesn't go unnoticed.
The STAR Awards identify people with the passion, energy, and courage to do things better every day.
Third Quarter Recipients:
Alfred Vorleto: Spraying Team Leader
Alfred has earned this quarter's award for his exceptional leadership of the spraying team. He brings real dedication to his work every day and knows how to get the job done right. What sets Alfred apart is his ability to step in when tensions arise among team members and find solutions that work for everyone. He leads by example, working hard alongside his crew while keeping operations running smoothly and safely.
Veronica Preprah Fosuah: Tally Clerk
Veronica's focus on keeping production moving efficiently while building a strong team around her has made her invaluable to our operations. She understands how the numbers connect to the bigger picture and makes sure accuracy never comes at the expense of teamwork. Veronica has a natural ability to guide newly hired team members, taking time to show them not just what to do, but why it matters. Her willingness to share her knowledge helps new workers settle in quickly and contribute confidently.
Kwame Isaac Twum: Driver
Twum stands out for the pride he takes in his work, keeping his vehicle in excellent condition and conducting himself professionally at all times. He follows company procedures consistently and takes instructions seriously, understanding that in our industry, discipline and compliance aren't just rules, they're what keep everyone safe. Kwame's exemplary conduct sets a standard for others, showing that doing things right and doing them well go hand in hand.
Form Ghana, a plantation forestry company specialising in restoring natural biodiversity in deforested forestry reserves in Ghana, is known for its unique approach to developing its employees and empowering fringe communities.
"Form Ghana was established in 2007, and from the beginning we have invested in building a sustainable company championing environmental and social responsibilities delivered by capable people working in a culture of safety and accountability", explains the CEO, Willem Fourie.
"Through our staff development, mentoring and succession planning programmes, we provide opportunities for career development," he says.
"I am proud to announce the following changes in Form Ghana's Management Team:
Matthew, Bismark and Alex studied forestry at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi, Ghana. In 2013, they joined Form Ghana's Management Trainee Programme. They took the opportunity to work hard and learn as much as possible about the company's silviculture, forestry, and harvesting operations.
Their diligence, positive attitudes, and hands-on leadership paid off, and as their operational, management, and people skills developed, they were rewarded with promotions to supervisory and managerial positions.
Bismark summed up their sentiments, "The sustainability of the company is essential, which means everyone must contribute to working safely, productively, and efficiently. Form Ghana has offered so many opportunities for me to grow in my career. I have ideas that could contribute to the growth of the company and look forward to developing myself further so that I can make a difference".
Alexander, a qualified accountant with experience in the media, hospitality and banking industries, answered a Form Ghana advert in 2017. He began as a Senior Site Accountant, and as his knowledge and understanding of the company's activities grew, so did his enthusiasm for forestry.
In March 2025, he was promoted to the position of Senior Forest Accountant. "Forestry is challenging and very different to the other industries I have worked in," he comments.
"Form Ghana is a successful company; however, I believe that it is still developing. It is destined to be very significant in this country and will stand out due to the way we conduct our work. In my new role as Commercial Manager, I aim to expand my knowledge and insights, contributing to the company's mission and vision".
Congratulating the new appointees, Willem Fourie said, "These senior appointments show that our management and personal development system, accompanied by a dynamic mentoring programme, is forming a company with an enviable depth of capacity, insight, experience and an incredible future".
Form Ghana recently appointed two new professional Site Nurses to assist in educating employees about health and safety at work and home, safe work practices, HIV/Aids, malaria, and conduct first aid training. They are both registered with the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association.
Freda O Kwarteng is the Site Nurse at Akumadan. She holds a Diploma in General Nursing and gained extensive experience at St John of God Hospital in Bono Region.
"I am impressed by Form Ghana's attention to their employee’s health and well-being. Employees feel happy coming to the clinic", Freda remarks.
Edward A. Atia is based at Berekum. He has a first-class BSc degree in nursing and is a registered nursing practitioner. He brings experience from the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Pantang Psychiatric Hospital in Greater Accra, and the Wa Municipal Hospital in the Upper-West Region.
"I delight in educating employees on health issues, for example, food and personal hygiene as preventative means of controlling ill-health", Edward says.
Samuel (Sammy) Ampofo Owusu has recently been appointed Executive Assistant to Form Ghana's CEO. As an integral part of the leadership team, the Executive Assistant plays a vital role in supporting the CEO and ensuring the smooth functioning of the organisation.
Sammy has a BSc in Accounting and an MBA in Finance. He joined Form Ghana in November 2012 after completing his national service. "I chose Form Ghana because I wanted to contribute to an exciting, forward-thinking and fast-moving company in an important industry", he says.
"I am a meticulous accountant versed in audit coordination and execution. Over the years, Form Ghana has allowed me to adapt to various job roles", Sammy explains. He says the experiences have developed his abilities to multitask, think critically, meet strict timelines and provide accurate reporting.
"As the Executive Assistant, I will focus on corporate governance, ensuring strict compliance with applicable laws and meeting all investor requirements. My previous experience in the company has deepened my understanding of working with external stakeholders.
"It has also deepened my communication skills with the various departments within the company and enhanced my time management skills, which will greatly impact my success in this new role".
Sammy believes Form Ghana's focus on good corporate governance will allow it to take advantage of new opportunities that arise.
"Form Ghana's operations are increasingly moving into the digital space where banking, harvesting and operations are managed electronically or by machines. This means we must ensure our staff are upskilled and digitally dexterous".
He advises aspiring professionals seeking senior management positions to be focused, dedicated, committed, involved, consistent and hardworking.
Alexander Amoako is the new Harvesting & Technical Manager, always ready for new challenges.
Alex was appointed Monitoring Supervisor in 2014, a year after joining Form Ghana as a Management Trainee. He was responsible for monitoring plantation and nursery operations, FSC certification and community engagement.
“In 2018, I was appointed Monitoring Research and Development (R&D) Officer. I gained extensive experience in managing R&D activities, FSC certification, growth and quality monitoring of plantation operations, and implementing fire management plans”, he explains.
The R&D role enhanced his analytical and planning skills. “I have much experience with forest certification and assisted with environmental and social (E&S) management”, he says.
In March 2022, Form Ghana appointed Alex to the position of Harvesting Forester to manage the harvesting operations of the company. As an experienced researcher and planner, he focused on planning and improving harvesting productivity.
“I am proud to be the Harvesting and Technical Manager now. I oversee all aspects of Form Ghana’s harvesting operations. This new role is a significant step in my career development in forestry.
I look forward to learning new things and using my experience and technical skills to make Form Ghana's harvesting operations profitable for the company and our investors".
Afia Yeboah Bediako joined Form Ghana as a Management Trainee in 2014. In 2015 she was appointed Management Assistant and led silviculture teams in establishing plantations and managing forest fires.
Her people management skills and attention to detail were recognised, and in 2016 she was appointed Human Relations Assistant. It wasn’t long before she accepted the HR Coordinator and HR Officer roles. Afia says it helped grow her problem-solving, interpersonal, and general communication skills.
“I was responsible for recruiting and inducting staff, students and interns to ensure they understood the company policies and procedures. Employees turned to me with their concerns, which helped me learn to resolve conflicts while improving employment policies and procedures”, Afia explains. “I see my new role as Plantation Manager at Berekum as challenging and exciting because it involves managing people and our resources. This position will help advance my career as a forester and natural resource scientist”.
Matthew Essuman was recently promoted to the position of Commercial Manager.
He joined Form Ghana in 2013 as a Management Trainee. The company recognised his drive for self-development and willingness to work hard and gave him opportunities to acquire new skills and experience through the various levels of management.
“My managers offered me the opportunity to develop a career path. They encouraged me to develop skills in decision-making and planning, coaching and developing team members, conflict resolution and engaging with our community partners”, Matthew explains.
Over the years, as Matthew’s responsibilities grew, he progressed from Management Trainee to Management Assistant, Plantation Supervisor, Silviculture Forester, and later the Plantation Manager.
“I am very grateful and happy regarding my new appointment as Commercial Manager. It gives me a fantastic opportunity to continue to grow and add value to the company.
“I am involved in implementing our commercial strategies and managing the associated risks while marketing and selling our teak logs and growing our carbon credits market. In addition, the position requires good communication skills to deal with our stakeholders at various levels, such as the Forestry Commission and our customers. God bless Form Ghana for the commitment to developing your employees”.
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