Sampina (U/W), July 29, GNA-The European Union/German Development Cooperation (GIZ) funded Resilience Against Climate Change (REACH) Project has planted a total of 22,000 tree seedlings in the Upper West and Savannah Regions of the Northern Ecological Zone.
The tree planting exercise, which was carried out in six pilot districts across each of the 18 baseline communities in the two regions was done in collaboration with private sector actors, public partners and community members.
Five of the districts are; Lawra, Jirapa, and Sisaala East Municipalities as well as Nadowli/Kaleo and Wa West Districts in the Upper West Region with the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba from the Savannah region.
According to a News release copied the GNA, the REACH Team led by its Technical Advisor, Mr Prosper Wie, planted the tree seedlings in each of the communities and was received by the chiefs on behalf of their communities.
“Each community received between 1,000 and 1,500 tree seedlings depending on the size of the community, with each house receiving five seedlings comprising three fruit trees (Cashew, Mango, Citrus) and two shady trees”, said the statement.
Mr Anselm Kofi Taabazuing, Finance and Administration Manager, in a short remark at a brief handing over ceremony in Sampina in the Nadowli- Kaleo district of the Upper West Region, stated that “the REACH project takes keen interest in safeguarding the environment and making it a safe place for its inhabitants”.
“The habit of cutting down trees must be strongly discouraged, and this can also be possible if all of us take interest in protecting our immediate environment”, he added.
“These seedlings you see today, if you take proper care of it, in the next two to three years, the entire community reaps the benefits. The project will be happy to see all the seedlings grow so well into trees. All we require of you is to take proper care of it. These trees will not only benefit the current generation but generations to come” he added further.
Naa Walter Kanubana Kporo II, the Paramount Chief of Sampina, expressed the community’s appreciation to the REACH project for the gesture and pledged the community’s full commitment and support for the project.
He further indicated that his community would take full responsibility of the seedlings, adding that “with my background as a retired forester, I am passionate about tree planting because I know the benefits of trees to mankind and I will ensure that every house takes care of the trees”.
The tree planting exercise according to the release, sought to increase the communities’ climate awareness and resilience, enhance the nutritional requirement at the household level and beautify their respective environments.
GNA