The Green Ghana Project by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resource is set to commence today, June 11, 2021.
The tree planting initiative by the ministry to ensure that the depleted forest covers across the country is restored has a target of planting five million trees across all 16 regions of the country.
The Lands and Resource ministry says the initiative will also help plant more economic trees which can aid the sustainable development of the country. The exercise will commence in all the 16 regions today with the Regional ministers pledging their support to this good cause.
Ahead of the exercise, the Central Regional Minister, Justina Marigold Assan, tasked Metropolitan Municipal and District Chief Executives in the region to own the tree planting exercise that would taking place.
The Regional Minister said she wants the assemblies to ensure an effective and efficient monitoring of all the institutions that have taken seedlings from the Forestry Commission and make sure they plant them and nurture them through to their growth.
Speaking at a ceremony during which the Forestry Commission presented seedlings to the Regional Coordinating Council ahead of the Green Ghana exercise, the Regional Minister indicated the exercise should be the responsibility of everyone in the region as it has both generational and immediate benefits.
Bono Region to plant more than 250,000 trees
Also, Mr Isaac Noble Eshun, the Bono Regional Manager of the Forest Service Division revealed that, more than 250,000 economic trees are expected to be planted across the Bono Region under the Green Ghana Project.
The trees, he said, would comprise mahogany, cedrella, offramo, mango, coconut, cashew and cassia species.
Mr Eshun appreciated the level of public enthusiasm towards the project saying many institutions and individuals in the region had registered and taken delivery of the tree species for planting.
He further explained that the Green Ghana Project was a prerequisite to mitigate the impact of climate change and promote a sustainable environment and appealed to the public to participate in the nationwide tree planting exercise.
“Trees provide shades, re-green and promote environmental sustainability, and protect society against flooding and windstorm.”
Mr. Eshun
Chief Imam supports project
Throwing his support behind the project, the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu, has urged Ghanaians, irrespective of their religious beliefs, to come together to support the Green Ghana Project to plant five million trees.
“I approve and support this project. I, therefore, call on all Ghanaians, irrespective of whether you are a Muslim or Christian, to support the national effort to plant trees.”
Chief Imam
He made the call when a delegation from the Forestry Commission, led by its Chief Executive, Mr John Allotey, called on him to formally invite him to join the national tree planting campaign slated for June 11.
As proof of his support for what he described as a laudable project, Sheikh Sharubutu gave the assurance that he would perform a symbolic planting of a tree at the new national mosque at Kawukudi, near Kanda, in Accra.
He said it was important that the environment was protected to fight off climate change that the world is experiencing;and thus encouraged the public to come together to participate in the exercise.
Read more: 2.6% of total utilized ESLA levies used to settle TOR debt from 2016-2020
