The first phase of the Green Streets Project aimed at beautifying Ghanaian cities and also contributing to global climate action kicked off with the planting of ornamental seedlings in some road medians of Accra.
The Green Street Project which is intended to grow some type of trees to improve the aesthetics of the cities and towns will extend planting in three other cities; Kumasi, Tamale, and Sekondi-Takoradi.
The Director for the Department of Parks and Gardens, Rev. Charles Okine together with the Technical Director, Forestry, at the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr. Joseph Osiakwan led the planting exercise with Members of the Planning Committee, Forestry Commission and some selected workers of the Youth in Afforestation to plant Tabebuia pallida (Trumpet Tree) from Spanner, Tetteh Quarshie through the Shiashi -Okponglo stretch to Legon on Saturday.
The Team irrigated the seedlings together with other ornamental trees, already planted along the shoulders of the roads and uprooted weeds that covered ground.
At a brief ceremony in August this year, the Lands and Natural Resources, Minister Samuel A. Jinapor said prevailing circumstances elsewhere relative to climatic conditions as well as the government’s bid to beautify the nation’s cities and towns necessitated the birth of the project.
He said that whereas Green Ghana Project is the government’s flagship afforestation program, the Green Street Project will focus on the growth of trees to improve the aesthetics of the cities and towns.
Hon. Jinapor noted that the government has taken notice of the quality of air in the major cities and believes that greening the cities is a definite way of improving it.
“A look around some of the major cities across the world, reveals an intentional planting of particular types of trees, to add to the aesthetics of the city. London in the United Kingdom, Paris in France, and to some extent, Cairo in Egypt, Abuja in Nigeria and Abidjan in Ivory Coast, are just a few examples”, he stated.
“Government has, therefore, decided to implement this Ghana Green Street Project, as part of measures to beautify our cities and contribute to global climate action. The overarching objective of this Project is to plant appropriate tree species, capable of providing both aesthetic view and environmental related benefits for a healthy and sustainable world”, he added.
The committee has been charged with the responsibility of identifying principal or major streets and avenues in the cities where trees will be planted, picking out the resilient and fast-growing tree species to be planted in each of the regional capitals of the country, and also developing a detailed strategy, work plan and budget for the project, including strategies for nurturing and protecting the trees planted.
