Ahafo Regional Minister, Charity Gardiner planting a tree
The national tree planting exercise otherwise known as the Tree for Life Reforestation Initiative has taken place at Bonsampiposo forest reserve in the Asunafo North Municipality of the Ahafo Region.
The tree planting exercise was heralded with a march by school children and members of the Akorade community. They held placards, some of which read ‘Stop Bush Fires’, ‘Participate in Tree Planting’, ‘Forest Improves Cocoa Production’, among others.
At the Bonsampiposo forest, the Ahafo Regional Minister, Charity Gardiner, the Goaso queenmother, Nanna Afia Serwaa II, the acting President of Akrodie Traditional Area, Nana Darko Kuffour, and the Goaso Municipal Chief Executive, Joseph Akparibo all planted trees to commemorate the day.
Madam Gardiner before planting the first tree spoke about the importance of trees to man and pleaded with the Bonsampiposo community members to take interest in nurturing the trees.
The Ahafo Regional Forestry Commission manager, Reverend Edward Anim-Antwi, unscored the importance of the Tree for Life Reforestation Initiative by President John Dramani Mahama saying it is to restore lost forest cover of the country.
He said the region will plant trees on 25 hecters of degraded forests with trees, emphasing it is being done together with farmers who will get 40 percent benefit from the proceed during maturity. Rev. Anim-Antwi said the Ahafo Region has been allocated 1.5m tress to plant saying the government has recruited what is called Youth Forest Champions who are supposed to plant about 80,000 seedlings.
He described the exercise in the region as successful because over 100,000 seedlings were planted by the gathering just for the day
On his part, the acting President of Akrodie Traditional Area, Nana Darko Kuffour expressed worry about the continuous depletion of forests in the region.
He felt nostalgic because the degraded forest has lost its wildlife which used to have lots of animal species.
He urged the Forestry Commission to reintroduce forest guards who used to protect the forest jealously. He also advised personnel of the Ghana Police to stop taking ‘bribe’ from illegal loggers and chainsaw operators and protect the forest resources especially trees for the benefit of all.
Chairman of the Ghana Timber Association, Ahafo Region, James Tetteh and his members also engaged in the tree planting exercise, He revealed the association has formed a taskforce to fight illegal loggers who indiscriminately cut down trees including young trees and tarnish the image of recognised timber contractors.
Some of the tree species planted included mahogany, Wawa, Cendrela, Emiere, and fruit trees such as mango and coconut.
It must be recalled that during former President Nana Akufo-Addo’s administration the yearly tree planting was code named ‘Green Ghana’.
FROM Daniel Y Dayee, Akrodie