Samuel Abdulai Jinapor
MINISTER FOR Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abdulai Jinapor, has called on Ghanaians and other residents in the country to rally behind the government to make the Green Ghana Day a resounding success.
“We have a collective responsibility, as a people, to leave future generations and their communities with richer, better and more valuable forests and wildlife endowment than we inherited,” he stated.
Delivering a statement in Parliament yesterday, the minister indicated that the forest sector offers the country fast, reliable and empirical evidence-based actions to mitigate the effects of climate change.
“We must, therefore, make concerted efforts to safeguard our forests. The world has no time, and Ghana has none either. Let all citizens of the world, and those of our beloved country, be reminded of the prophetic words of the celebrated and far-sighted American patriot, Martin Luther King Jnr., and be called upon to act with, what he referred to as, the fierce urgency of now,” he added.
According to him, on the maiden edition of the Green Ghana Day, last year, the nation planted over 7 million trees, exceeding the target of 5 million set by the ministry, adding, “Reports from the Forestry Commission indicate that about 80% of these trees have survived, and are doing very well.”
Mr. Jinapor said the commitment is to plant 20 million trees of different species across the country on Friday to mark the day set aside to plant trees to restore Ghana’s depleted forest cover.
“Based on lessons from the maiden edition, we have adopted a two-pronged strategy to achieve this target. The first is to plant 10 million seedlings in degraded forest reserves in compartments,” he pointed out.
He encouraged corporate Ghana and other organisations to adopt forest compartments for planting, and would brand these “compartments in the names of these organisations, and the same can be reported, either as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility or as offset for their carbon footprints.”
He explained that the remaining 10 million seedlings would be planted outside forest reserves, particularly around farms, degraded watershed areas, boundaries, office compounds, and sites within communities, including parks, roadsides, homes, churches, mosques and schools.
“We have allocated to each of the 16 regions planting targets. And seedlings have been made available, free of charge, at the District Offices of the Forestry Commission, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, as well as other public places,” he stated.
He revealed that President Akufo-Addo would kick start the nationwide exercise by planting at the Efua Sutherland Park in Accra at 8am, while Vice President Dr. Bawumia would plant in Tamale.
“Mr. Speaker, your good self, as Second Deputy Speaker, will, on behalf of the Rt. Hon. Speaker, plant within the precincts of Parliament. And my Lord the Chief Justice will plant within the precincts of the Supreme Court.
“Other eminent Ghanaians will be planting across the country, including former President John Agyekum Kufuor, who will be planting in Gomoa Nsuaem, and former President John Dramani Mahama, who will be planting in Accra. The Asantehene will plant in Kumasi, and the Ya-Na will plant in Yendi. His Eminence the National Chief Imam, and other eminent clergy, will also be planting across the country,” he added.
BY Ernest Kofi Adu, Parliament House