The Akwamu Traditional Council is to plant five million tree seedlings over the next five years along the banks of the Volta River as part of efforts to provide forest cover for the lake and improve upon rainfall in the river basin as a complement to the implementation UN SDG 15.
The project is being spearheaded by the Paramount Chief of the Akwamu Traditional Area, Odneho Kwafo Akoto III, under the auspices of his OKA million Tree Campaign, which is being executed in collaboration with Praxis Africa with support from the Volta River Authority (VRA).
Medicinal, shade and Mangrove trees are among the millions of assorted trees targeted to be planted over the next five years.
This came to light when the VRA presented a cheque for GHS 50, 000 to the Akwamu Traditional Council at Akwamu in the Eastern Region at the weekend, to support the project.
Asuogyaman Company Limited has supported the campaign with GHS 10,000.
The Principal Community Relations Officer of the VRA, Mrs Rhoda Arthur, made the presentation to the Gyaasehene of Akwamu Kotropei and Country Director for Praxis Africa, Ogyegu Korankye Wontumi II, towards the 2024 campaign to protect the Volta Lake scheduled to be launched on June 6 at the Begyawe palace at Akwamu Kotropei.
Throwing more light on the issue in an interview with the Ghanaian Times in Accra on yesterday, the Gyaasehene of Akwamu Kotropei said the project was a five-year development plan backed by the Akwamu Traditional Council and that its collaborator, PRAXIS Africa, is a corporation that works with entrepreneurs, leaders, and innovators in Africa to achieve positive outcomes for local development by identifying and developing economic opportunities in agriculture, food, water, sanitation, and energy.
Ogyegu Korankye Wontumi explained further that the Akwamuhene’s decision to initiate the project was based on his love for the environment and the need to protect the Volta Lake that feeds the Akosombo and Kpone dams.
BY NORMAN COOPER