Residents of Sunyani embark on 2023 Green Ghana Day
THE SUNYANI Forest District with the support of the Sunyani West and East Municipalities has augmented the effort of a private forester by planting trees on his acquired land at Tetekrom in the Sunyani West District on Green Ghana Day.
The move was to motivate the forester to do more and encourage other private investors to also go into afforestation and re-afforestation.
The Forester, Nii Noi Morton who already has over 300 acres of different tree species including Wawa, Mahogany, Terminalia- Ivorensis (Empire), Gmelina, Odum, Ofram, Wabre, Cedrela, Teak, Mansonia and Hyedua also intends to plant 370 acres of the species this year.
Out of the 10 million trees planted on the Green Ghana day, the Bono Region alone planted 600 seedlings and the Sunyani Forest District also planted 250,000.
The Morton Forest alone planted 66,000 Chiraahene, Barima Minta Afari, the Sunyani Municipal Chief Executive, Ansu Kumi, and the Sunyani West District Chief Executive, Evans Kusi Boadum were some of the dignitaries who took part in the tree planting exercise.
Addressing participants after the exercise, the Sunyani District Forest Manager, Francis Brobbey said the Green Ghana Day instituted by President Akufo-Addo has come to stay emphasizing this year’s theme, ‘Our Forests, Our Health’ is to ensure the symbiotic relationship between man and trees (nature) saying when the last tree dies the last man dies.
‘Nii Noi Morton has been planting trees since 2011 and has planted trees around the Mankra River thereby protecting the river body.
Last year we did the Green Ghana trees planting in what we call on reserve forest (that is planting in forest reserve) but this year we have decided to do it on off reserve by helping individuals who are already in afforestation in the region to motivate them and encourage others to engage in afforestation to conserve our forests and restore degraded land,”he said.
He continued, “The restoration of degraded land introduced by the government is laudable but government alone cannot do it so we needed to encourage individuals to get involve.”
He maintained that the trees planted last two years are growing well and charged all those who participated in the exercise to also make efforts to ensure the survival of their trees.
He congratulated Mr. Nii Noi for the effort to plant trees.
The project manager of Morton Forest, Nana Dei Boakye thanked the government for the assistant saying since they started the project in 2011 it is only the current government that has shown support.
FROM Daniel Y Dayee, Chiraa