Green Ghana: Ghanaians plant trees to address deforestation threat

Ministries, Department and agencies (MDAs), non-state institutions and Ghanaians on Friday participated in the third edition of the national tree planting exercise to address the threat of deforestation in the country.

This year’s “Green Ghana” dayon the theme; ‘Our Forests, Our Health’ targeted planting 10 million trees, bringing to 43 million the number of seedlings planted across the country since the initiative begun in June 2021.

In the first edition, seven million trees were planted while 26 million trees were planted last year with the country recording a survival rate of 71 percent of trees planted since the project was rolled out.

From the Nationalism Park in Accra, JESSEL LARTEY THER­SON-COFIE reports that the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisa­tion and Rural Development (ML­GDRD), Mr Osei-Bonsu Amoah led the planting of over 25 trees at the park under the programme.

Mr Osei-Bonsu underscored the need to devise sustainable means of increasing the survival rate of the trees saying that “although the Min­istry of Lands and Natural resourc­es and the Forestry Commission has confirmed the survival of about 70 per cent of the trees planted last year, we should be aiming at a higher percentage.”

He expressed the ministry’s sup­port to ensure the survival of the Green Ghana initiative saying that “we will be at the forefront of the Green Ghana agenda and the fight to keep our environment intact, clean and safe.”

KINGSLEY ASARE report­sthat the Ministry of Finance col­laborated with the Ghana Revenue Authority and the Controller and Accountant General to plant about 200 tree seedling including oranges, coconut around the offices of the three organisations.

The Minister of State at the Finance Ministry, Dr Mohammed Amin Adam, Deputy Minister of Finance, Mrs Abena Osei Asare, and the Chief Director of the Ministry of Finance,Mrs Eva Esselba Mends planted trees on behalf of the Ministry, and the Deputy Commissioner of Ghana Revenue Authority in charge of Training and Development, Mr Augustine AdjeiSefah, planted a tree on behalf of the GRA and the Deputy Controller and Account General Department, Mrs Emelia Osei Derkyi, planted on behalf of her organisation before the staff of those organisations joined.

The Minister of Finance, Mr Ofori-Atta in a remark read on his behalf said the government agen­cies responsible for forestry would be financially resourced to deliver their mandate to replenish depleted forests in the country.

BERNARD BENGHAN reports that the Chief Executive Officer of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), Mr Kwasi Agyeman Busia, as part of the tree planting exercise expressed worry over the high number of rickety vehicles still operating with roadworthy certificates in the country.

As part of measures to address the challenge, he said the Authority was embarking on a mobile testing services in the quest to bring its ser­vices closer to customers and wipe out individuals who issued fake road worthy certificate to vehicles, especially commercial vehicles.

Mr Busia explained that the mo­bile services would allow customers to access services in the comfort and convenience of their locations to address the issue of “goro” boys (middlemen), to curb their activi­ties that rub off negatively on the institution.

Ghanaians must see the “Green Ghana Day” initiative as a civic responsibility and fully take part in it, the Deputy Commissioner for the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Mr Samuel Asare Akuamoah has said, ABI­GAIL ANNOH reports.

“Tree planting is a constitutional duty on us and when you look at the direct principles of state policy, Article 41, it says we should keep our environment clean and help maintain our environment, commu­nity service, communal labour etc.

So, this must be seen as a con­stitutional duty, a civic duty for every Ghanaian to take part to help restore our lost cover and bequeath a better environment to the next generation,” he said.

The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Ablekuma North Mu­nicipal Assembly, Kofi Ofori led a team of assembly officers compris­ing mainly the Municipal National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) officers to launch this year’s Green Ghana Day at Saleria School Park at Odorkor in Accra.

He called on Ghanaians to attach greater value to the tree planting exercise when he and his team planted the first tree, Royal Palm at the forecourt of the school.

The Municipal NADMO Direc­tor, Mr Johnson Amoah Danquah urged all residents to own the exercise and play their part through monitoring to ensure that the trees survive.

From the La Dade-Kotopon Mu­nicipal Assembly (LaDMA), VIC­TOR A BUXTONreports that the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) Mr Solomon KoteyNikoiplanted the first tree at the assembly indi­cating that about 5000 fruits and ornamental trees were to be planted under the exercise.

The seedlings included avoca­do,coconut, oranges, lemon, man­goes, flamboyant, Alecia, rain trees amongothers.

DAVID O. YAR­BOI-TETTEH in CAPE COAST reports that the Forestry Commission in collaboration with some institutions within the Central Region planted a total of 700,000 plants across the region.

The institutions comprised the University of Cape Coast (UCC), Cornelia Connelly School, the vari­ous assemblies, the Catholic Church and the Ghana Police Service among others.

In her remarks, the Central Regional Minister, Mrs Justina Mari­gold Assan commended residents and institutions within the region for their sense of enthusiasm in joining the exercise.

“The enthusiasm of residents and institutions in joining with the exercise is very commendable,” she said.

The Vice Chancellor of Univer­sity of Cape Coast (UCC), Prof. Johnson Nyarko Boampong, in his remarks, said, the University was planting 20,000 trees as part of the exercise.

The number of trees planted within the campus, he said, would increase to 120,000 since the incep­tion of the Green Ghana Day three years ago.

FROM KOFORIDUA, AMA TEKYIWAA AMPADU AGYEMAN, reports thatin the Eastern region, a total of 600,000 tree seedlings were expected to be planted across the municipalities and districts of the region.

The Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Seth Kwame Acheampong, at a ceremony to open the exercise said “there was the need to sustain the attitude of planting trees to sustain our health and to recognise that as citizens we have a duty to use forest resources by following clear guidance and laws.”

He indicated that the theme signified the importance of health benefits that the forest provided for all people and added that the coun­try’s dependence on forest, trees and their related services go beyond the need to provide the sustainable means of consuming timber and non-timber products.

“Biodiversity, rich forest eco- di­versity systems provide edible prod­ucts that contribute to a healthy diet such as fruits, leaves and mush­rooms as well as vast number of medicinal plants,” he said.

In Sunyani, DANIEL DZ­IRASAH reports that the Bono Regional Minister, Justina Owusu Banahene led a team of officials from the various departments and agencies in the region to participate in the Green Ghana Day exercise.

Vice Chancellors from the Catho­lic University of Ghana, University of Energy and Natural Resources, andSunyani Technical University as well as service commanders of various security agencies also took part in tree planting exercise.

A total of 610 000 tree seedlings distributed by the Forestry Com­mission to the 12 Districts and Municipal Assemblies were planted.

In an address, the Regional Min­ister called on the residents to plant and nature trees in order to protect save our environment from the neg­ative impact of human activities.

LAWRENCE VOMAFA-AK­PALU reports from the Adentan Municipality in in the Greater Accra Region that officials of the assem­bly supported by staff of Star Life Assurance planted over 2000 trees in the area.

The planting teams spread in the 12 electoral areas planted fruit, ornamental and shade trees at the Adentan Police Station, the Christ Faith School, along the streets and other public institutions.

The Municipal Chief Executive Alexander Daniel Nii-Noi who led the Gbentana Electoral Area team commended the teams and the residents for coming out in their numbers to support the govern­ment’s initiative.

In a related development, the Deputy Minister of Health Alhaji Mahama Asei Seini joined manage­ment and students of the Pantang Hospital in the La Nkwantanang ­Madina Municipality to plant over 200 trees.

AlhajiSeini said the time has come for people to be conscious of the environment especially trees and stop all destructive tendencies in order to leave a lasting legacy for generations yet to be born.

The trees he explained has special medicinal values and also provide food and shade, therefore must be jealously guarded to serve their useful purposes.

The Medical Director of the Hospital, Dr Frank Baning said the hospital has planted over 5000 trees to support the government initiative, adding that the Hospital began the exercise four years ago and commended individuals and corporate institutions for support­ing the facility to get that far.

BY TIMES REPORTERS