As part of measures to create awareness and whip up interest in the second edition of the Green Ghana Project, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has activated the ‘One Student, One Tree initiative.
The program was launched by the Deputy Minister in charge of Forestry, Hon. Benito Owusu-Bio at the Aggrey Memorial School in Cape Coast on Friday, June 3, 2022 aims at incorporating the second cycle institutions in the treen-planting exercise.
Under this module, students from all second-cycle institutions in the country will be encouraged to plant trees and nurture them with guidance from their respective authorities.
Addressing the students at the Launch, Hon. Benito Owusu-Bio disclosed that the goal of the initiative is to inculcate the habit of planting trees into the students.
He acknowledged the strategic role of the schools in the government’s bid to protect the environment and assured us that the Ministry will collaborate with educational institutions and stakeholders to plant the trees and achieve the target set for the 2022 Green Ghana Project.
Stressing the importance of the country’s forest reserves and the need to protect them, the Deputy Minister advanced the viewpoint that the forest offers benefits such as serving as wildlife, windbreaks, regulation of atmospheric temperature, provision of natural resources and income, provision revenue and eco-tourism.
He, noted however that, despite the humongous benefits derived from the forest, human activities over the years have threatened the country’s forest cover and the government of H. E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo deems it extremely important to plant more trees to avert a futuristic danger.
Having established the crucial role of trees in the survival of humans, Benito Owusu-Bio implored all students in the country to welcome the Green Ghana Project and take part in the tree planting exercise.
He said the Ministry will make available trees to all second cycle institutions country so that students will have no difficulty contributing to a worthy cause.
The Member of Parliament for Atwima-Nwabiagya appealed to the heads and teachers of the various institutions to actively participate in the exercise and help the government build a sustainable environment.
The Central Regional Minister, Hon. Justina Marigold Assan provided statistics from the Forestry Commission and the United Nations which depicts Ghana’s fast depleting vegetative cover adding that it has therefore become necessary for the government to take drastic measures to protect the forest cover.
She made the supposition that with the government representing a minute section of the country, it will be impossible for it to effectively plant the trees and therefore appealed to the people of the Central Region and Ghanaians to take part in the exercise.
Justina Marigold Assan also implored the various Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in the country to support the program and ensure its success
The Headmistress of Aggrey Memorial Senior High School, Madam Kate Annan-Wilberforce commended the government for the initiative and promised that Aggrey Memorial will plant trees to help sustain the country’s forest cover.
Launched in 2021, Green Ghana Day is earmarked for the planting of trees across the country. The first edition of the program saw over five million trees being planted, 85% of which turned out to be successful.
The second edition is set for June 10, 2022, with the government targeting 20million trees.
The event also saw the Deputy Minister donating Green Ghana branded books to Aggrey Memorial Senior High School, Wesley Girls SHS, Mfantsipim SHS, Adisadel College, Jukwa SHS, St Augustines SHS and Holy Child SHS.
Story by:Kwaku Stephen
