President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has given assurance that the June 11, 2021 nationwide tree-planting exercise will not be a one-off event.
“It is an ambitious initiative, and we will make the necessary effort to sustain it. God willing, this event will be an annual one, and planting targets will be reviewed upwards every year.
“I assure the Ghanaian people that Government is determined to ensure the survival of the five million trees being planted today. Together, we must and will protect our environment and ecosystem, and we must contribute to the world’s agenda at combating global warming. We have to protect planet earth and our homeland, Ghana,” he emphasised.
President Akufo-Addo gave the assurance last Friday when he planted a tree at the forecourt of Jubilee House, as part of the Green Ghana Project.
The day was set aside to plant some five million trees across the country.
President Akufo-Addo appealed to all Ghanaians to embrace the Green Ghana Initiative introduced by Government.
“Whilst we all plant trees today, let us resolve to nurture, grow, and protect them to maturity. We have a collective responsibility to leave future generations and their communities with richer, more valuable forest and wildlife endowment than we inherited.
“We intend to enhance ongoing afforestation programmes, and see to the sustainable exploitation of our forest resources”, President Akufo-Addo stressed.
Natural resources
Speaking on the initiative, President Akufo-Addo explained that the forest is one of the most important natural resources of Ghana, as its continuous existence creates jobs and provides income for local communities.
He also noted that the forest is a source of foreign exchange earnings through timber product exports, and offers environmental protection, including watershed protection and climate change regulation.
“However, the exploitation of forest resources for national development has not been sustainable over the years. Deforestation and forest degradation are the greatest challenges to sustainable forest management in Ghana today.
“The consequential effect of deforestation and forest degradation is severe climate change, which has dire consequences for our livelihoods, specifically the drying up of our water bodies, the pollution of our waters, loss of our prime timber species, loss of biodiversity, and change in rainfall patterns and weather conditions in the country”, he pointed out.
Accordingly, President Akufo-Addo indicated that there is an urgent need to reverse the trend and restore the country’s forest resources, as much as possible, back to their original state.
“We do not have tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow to do this. We have to act now!” he stressed.
President Akufo-Addo has therefore reaffirmed his determination to restore the lost forest cover of the country, with the attempt to regulate and sanitise the small-scale mining industry being one of such initiatives to help keep Ghana’s forest cover and reserves intact.
President’s appreciation
The President extended his appreciation to the First Lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo, Vice-President Bawumia and his wife Samira, Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin, Chief Justice Anin Yeboah, Chief of Staff at the Office of the President Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Overlord of Dagbon Ya Naa Mahama Abukari II, Okyenhene Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin, National Chief Imam Sheikh Sharubutu, and other prominent citizens of our country, who have embraced the initiative, and committed themselves to supporting this national endeavour, by planting a tree each.
He was equally grateful to the leaders of the Church of Pentecost, the Presbyterian Church, the Methodist Church, the Catholic Church, the Anglican Church, and other faith-based organisations for their support and commitment to this noble project.
