Ghana’s Former Ambassador to China, Mr. Edward Boateng, has asked citizens to think twice before cutting down a tree.
Commenting on the tree planting exercise which took place on Friday, June 11, 2021, Mr. Boateng stated that the cutting down of trees contributes to the depletion of the forest cover.
He further expressed his worry about the citizenry not taking good care of our forest cover and environment and as such urged all citizens to take responsibility.
“Unfortunately, we’re not taking good care of our forests and environment and the President has tasked us to do that. So, I am hoping that from today anybody who wants to cut down a tree will think twice because cutting down a tree is almost similar to killing. So, would you kill a human being or a pet just like that?”
Mr. Boateng
While commending the brains behind the initiative, the Former Ambassador also advised that the nation should ensure that a sizeable percentage of the 5 million seedlings grow and don’t just die.
Moreover, Mr. Boateng, who is also the Founder of Global Media Alliance, affirmed his support for such a nationwide exercise.
“I would like to salute the President and the Honourable Lands and Natural Resources Minister for this great initiative. These are the things that make a country happy and I believe that our country is smiling.”
Mr. Boateng
Cities will be more welcoming
With this initiative, Ambassador Boateng was optimistic that by 2030 our cities will be more green and welcoming.
“All over the world, you see that most cities are getting greener. Unfortunately, we don’t have that here. The Green Ghana initiative is something that makes a country happy to live in.”
Mr. Boateng
President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on the Green Ghana Day intimated that government is on a quest to restore Ghana’s lost forest cover through innovative intervention like the Green Ghana Project.
President then reckoned that Ghanaians must act now to salvage the current trend of vegetative loss.
“We don’t have the day after tomorrow to do this, we have to act now. As the co-chair of the eminent group of advocates of the 2030 United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals, I am leading Ghana to plant these five million trees as part of a master plan of the Green Ghana Agenda.”
Mr. Boateng
According to the President, the nationwide exercise which was climaxed will not be a one-off event. He said all other afforestation programmes implemented by the Forestry Commission and other agencies will be sustained.
Other interventions and programmes, according to the President, will also be implemented to ensure sustainable exploitation of Ghana’s natural resources.
President Akufo-Addo, therefore made an appeal to all Ghanaians to embrace the Green Ghana Initiative introduced by government and being driven by the energetic minister of Lands and Natural Resources, the Member of Parliament for Damango, Samuel Abu Jinapor.
The President also described the initiative as an ambitious one and that government will put in place the necessary efforts to sustain it. Also