Dr Paul Kwabena Boafo watering the tree after planting
The Methodist Church, Ghana has kicked start an project to plant over one million trees across the country, under the Green Ghana Initiative.
The project which coincides with the Methodist Church annual tree planting event, Arbor Day, is aimed at supporting the government’s initiative to restore the lost vegetation of the country.
Presiding Bishop, Dr. Paul Kwabena Boafo, launched the 1.4m tree planting project by planting several trees at the Methodist Church, Ghana Conference Office under constructed in Accra.
He said the Church has over the years planted trees during its Arbor Day commemoration as part of their contribution to the greening of the environment.
“The Church, seeing the importance of trees and vegetation, instituted what we call the annual Arbor Day during which we encourage our school children, young people and adults to plant trees to help green the environment,” he said.
Dr. Boafo said planting trees in our environment is important to the health, wellbeing and existence of humanity.
“That is why from now, the Bishops in all the 20 Dioceses from the South to the North, East to West… we decided to join hands with government and the ministry to plant 1.4m trees,” he said.
The Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church further explained that the project is in collaboration with the Forestry Commission, RELBONET and Rocha Ghana adding that the trees to be planted include Coconut, Mahogany and Acacia.
He said, “this is a wholistic exercise that we are undertaking and by the end of 20th June we would have planted not less than 1.4m trees.”
Dr Boafo indicated that seedlings are being transported to the Diocesan headquarters across the country for onward distribution by the Superintendents for planting in open spaces.
He urged the public to support the initiative by planting trees in their homes adding that every tree that is planted should be nurtured to grow well to enhance the environment.
In April 2021, the Lands and Natural Resources Ministry launched a Green Ghana initiative aimed at planting five million trees in a single day as part of an aggressive afforestation strategy to protect the country’s forests and environment.
The initiative has since received backing from President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the Chief Justice Anin Yeboah and religious bodies.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri