By Godwill Arthur-Mensah
Accra, June 7, GNA – President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Friday urged Ghanaians to embrace the Green Ghana concept to build a resilient ecosystem for a greener future.
He emphasised the need for all well-meaning Ghanaians to join forces to combat the adverse effects of climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss, noting that protecting and preserving the forests were critical in that endeavour.
The President made the call during the Green Ghana Commemorative Tree Planting ceremony at the Nicholson Stadium, Burma Camp in Accra.
This year’s programme is on the theme: “Growing for a Greener Tomorrow” with the ambition of planting 10 million seedlings across the country.
President Akufo-Addo highlighted the alarming impacts of climate change by referencing the dire situation in South Sudan and the Horn of Africa, where extreme heatwaves were threatening human habitation.
He noted that air pollution was responsible for approximately 6.7 million deaths worldwide, annually, while biodiversity loss continued to endanger ecosystems.
“The science tells us that forests play a crucial role in sustaining life on earth and tackling the triple planetary crises,” the President stated.
He pointed out that agriculture, forest, and land-use activities contributed significantly to Ghana’s greenhouse gas emissions, and that maintaining the forests was essential for carbon sequestration, biodiversity conservation, and pollution control.
Since the inception of the Green Ghana Project in 2021, more than 42 million trees have been planted nationwide.
“The 2024 goal is to add another 10 million, bringing the total to 52 million trees in just four years. This ambitious target aligns with Ghana’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 64 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent by 2030,” the President stated.
He entreated the citizenry to embrace the theme by participating in the nationwide tree planting exercise.
Planting and nurturing trees to maturity would enable the country to achieve a sustainable future, President Akufo-Addo said, and thus appealed to the private sector to support this noble venture.
He commended the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Samuel Abu Jinapor, for his leadership in sustaining the Green Ghana Project and the One-Student, One-Tree initiative.
That, he said, would inculcate the values of tree planting in the youth and appreciate the importance of environmental stewardship.
He called for a collaborative effort by all Ghanaians to sustain the gains made over the past three years.
“Let’s go out, not only to plant trees, but grow them for a ‘Green Tomorrow.’ This is a duty we owe not only to the current generation but to generations yet to come,” the President said.
Mr Jinapor, on his part, lauded President Akufo-Addo’s unwavering support for the Green Ghana initiative to ensure environmental protection and forest restoration.
He expressed gratitude to the Ghana Armed Forces for their vital role in the programme’s organisational success, particularly in the logistics and distribution of seedlings.
The Ghana Armed Forces have declared plans to plant over 1000 seedlings this year in support of the Green Ghana Project.
The Minister outlined Ghana’s significant strides in global forest management and climate action, noting that at COP26 in Glasgow, Ghana played a pivotal role in the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration to halt and reverse forest loss by 2030.
“This leadership has been recognised globally, leading to Ghana’s co-chairing of the Forest and Climate Leaders’ Partnership (FCLP) alongside the United States,” he stated.
“This partnership aims to balance forest protection with food production and advance nature-based climate solutions.”
Highlighting the impact of those initiatives, the Minister said Ghana was the second country in Africa and the third globally to receive results-based payments from the World Bank’s Carbon Fund for reducing emissions.
“The Green Ghana Day has become a cornerstone of these efforts, with the survival rate of planted trees increasing significantly each year from 67% in 2021, 72% in 2022, and 81% in 2023.”
This year’s theme: “Growing for a Greener Tomorrow,” he said, reflected the commitment to not just planting trees but ensuring their growth and contribution to the fight against climate change,” he added.
The Minister appealed to all Ghanaians to support the initiative, emphasising the availability of adequate seedlings in designated places, while measures were put in place to ensure high survival rates of the trees.
He echoed the President’s call for collective action to secure a greener and more sustainable future for the country and the planet.
With this rallying call, both the President and the Lands Minister reinforced Ghana’s commitment to creating a greener and more sustainable future, urging all citizens to join hands in the critical national endeavour.
Mr John Allotey, the Chief Executive Officer, Forestry Commission, commended the President for his immense support and guidance towards the Green Ghana Project.
He applauded the Lands and Natural Resources Minister for his excellent leadership inuring to success of the project.
GNA