The Okyenhene, Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin II, has cautioned against the wanton destruction of Ghana’s forest cover through deforestation saying “it’s a selfish act that harms us.”
According to him, the world was united ecologically and therefore any act that destroyed the ecological system was an attack on the very existence of mankind.
“It is very selfish to cut trees or destroy any part of the ecological system. We need to take care of these trees for the generation to come. We must be selfless and generational thinkers,” he stated.
The Paramount Chief of Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Area was speaking at Kyebi in the Eastern Region when the management of the Forestry Commission and some officials of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources paid a courtesy call on him.
The visit was to brief the Okyenhene on this year’s Green Ghana, slated for June 10 with an objective to plant 20 million trees.
He called on Ghanaians to support government’s efforts to improve the country’s vegetative cover as trees were regulators of temperatures everywhere around the world and help to keep humans alive.
“Green Ghana sustains our future, I therefore urge all citizens to get hold of the seedlings, wherever they are made available, plant them and watch them grow.
No one is going to get rich doing this but is it a service that will enhance our living and our environment so plant a tree today and watch it grow,” the Okyenhene stated.
Osagyefuo Amoatia expressed satisfaction that traditional authorities were being involved in the implementation of the initiative, and asked that they were made an integral part of strategies to acquire seedlings for planting.
On his part, John Allotey, Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Commission, who led the delegation, commended the Okyenhene for leading the campaign to promote environmental protection and sustainability.
He said the ministry was implementing two fold strategies for the ‘2022 Green Ghana Day’ to include the planting of 10 million trees in the forest reserves and the other 10 million in schools, road medians and waterbodies.
Mr Allotey further applauded the Okyenhene’s efforts in Ghana’s re-afforestation drive through the Okyeman Environment Foundation targeted at planting 25 million trees across all towns and villages within the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Area within five years.
FROM CLAUDE NYARKO ADAMS, KYEBI