Herds of cattle are reported to have descended upon forests containing young Green Ghana trees in the Bono Region.
Such a worrying development should not be brushed under the carpet considering the implication of the irresponsibility of the herdsmen.
The story is not restricted to this region alone but other parts of the country where the trees are not protected against free ranging goats and sheep.
In our part of the world, matters pertaining to the flora and specifically a greening exercise into which so much funds have been pumped because of the importance of trees to our existence, get little or no attention soon after the pomp and pageantry associated with the planting exercise.
Indeed, the greening exercise is an international assignment because nature, after all, knows no geopolitical barriers.
When such negative stories are reported, we justifiably get jittery and worried. We cannot avoid asking whether we are serious about such subjects when we embarked upon them the way we did during the initial greening exercise.
The importance of greening Ghana is evidenced in the President declaring June 10 a Green Ghana day.
Why should we expend so much time and money to plant trees only for them to be grazed upon by wandering herds of cattle?
We are excited that the chief of Berekum, Nana Dr. Didwuo Amankona II, has issued a final warning to the herdsmen in his jurisdiction to control their cattle lest they attract the wrath of the security personnel deployed to police the forests.
The cattle owners and the herdsmen know too well that the trees were not planted for grazing purposes but to enhance our green coverage in forests which have over the years suffered degradation.
The ‘shoot to kill’ cattle destroying the young trees order issued to the security personnel deployed for the forest protection exercise is rather scary and requires review.
In some parts of the country where such destructive cattle were shot and killed, the peace in such areas was threatened. If there are alternatives to the ‘shoot to kill’ order, same should be explored. This is not to douse the seriousness of the destruction of the forests.
We should all protect our young trees which are being planted all over the country under the current Green Ghana initiative. Someday, we would all enjoy the dividends from such efforts.
Radical steps should be taken to protect our forests.
We have learnt about the resumption of the felling of rosewood trees in places where they occur.
More efforts are needed to protect the endangered flora species.