The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has made a passionate appeal to Ghanaians and residents in the country to support the national tree-planting exercise, the Green Ghana Day.
The day, he said, presents an opportunity to display patriotism, exhibit commitment to protect forest reserves and demonstrate resolve to leave children with a richer and greener Ghana.
The Asantehene made the call at the launch of the 2023 edition of the Green Ghana Day in Kumasi.
The Green Ghana Day is slated for 9th June 2023.
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He lauded the government for initiating the Green Ghana Project and underscored the importance of trees to environmental protection, climate change mitigation, and the survival of the planet.
According to him, it is because of these benefits that he committed to plant some 2.5 million trees towards the protection of Lake Bosomtwe, in the Ashanti Region.
The Green Ghana Day was first launched by Government in 2021, under the auspices of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, as part of an aggressive afforestation and reforestation agenda, to restore the lost forest cover of the country.
The maiden edition targeted planting 5,000,000 trees, but over 7,000,000 trees were planted.
Last year, over 26,000,000 trees were planted, exceeding the target of 20,000,000.
The Asantehene bemoaned the wanton destruction of forests due to illegal mining and illegal logging.
Chief and members of the local communities, he said, cannot feign ignorance about those involved in this destruction.
He promised to drive around the Ashanti Region and call all chiefs whose lands have been degraded to come and answer.
“Government cannot do it alone. We must all get involved and support the Government to come to grips with these matters,” Otumfuo said.
For the past two years, Ashanti Region has been planting the most trees on Green Ghana Days.
81% of the trees planted in 2021 survived while 72% of those planted last year have survived.
Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Samuel A. Jinapor, said there has not been any concerted effort to restore Ghana’s lost forest cover over the years.
According to him, between 2010 and 2015 alone, the country lost 160,210ha of forest and yet between 1963 and 2016, 157,300ha of forest was cultivated.
The government, he said, has since 2017 been taking several measures to restore the lost forest cover.
“The Green Ghana Project is necessary to create enhanced national awareness of the necessity for collective action towards the restoration of degraded landscapes in the country, inculcate values of planting and nurturing of trees in our citizens, particularly among the younger generation, mitigate climate change and beautify communities and the environment,” he said.