By Godwill Arthur-Mensah
Kyebi (ER), June 03, GNA-The Okyehene, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin, has reiterated the call to preserve and protect the forests to safeguard lives and livelihoods.
He said though the country’s forebears were not highly educated on environmental issues, they preserved and protected the environment with their “souls and spirits” because they knew the importance of trees to humanity.
Therefore, he said, it was incumbent on the current generation to continue the legacy of the forebears to sustain the environment, saying “Don’t be reckless, irresponsible and greedy about what you’ll gain today to destroy our future survival.”
“We should not allow our indiscipline, selfish interest and craze for money to make us destroy our environment,” he emphasised.
The Okyehene made the clarion call when he launched this year’s “One Student, One-Tree” initiative at the Abuakwa State College, in Kyebi in the Eastern Region.
The event formed part of preparations towards the 2024 Green Ghana Day slated for Friday, June 7.
The ceremony also coincided with the Silver Jubilee Anniversary of the enstoolment of Okyehene, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin.
The Okyehene charged Ghanaians to learn lessons from the havoc hurricanes, floods and landslides wrecked on nations with poor environmental practices and begin to take proactive measures to safeguard the environment.
To that end, the Okyehene assured the Lands Minister that he would mobilise his people to plant one million seedlings this year to mark 25 years of his enthronement, which would be held on the theme, “25 years of Sustainable Leadership, Service to Humanity”.
The revered traditional leader said he had also instituted a bye-law within the Abuakwa Traditional Area prohibiting farmers from farming on certain days of the week to replenish the forest.
That initiative, he said, had kept farmers within the traditional area away from the forest for 100 days in a year.
The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Abu Jinapor, in his remarks, lauded the Okyehene for 25 years of visionary leadership and dedication towards environmental sustainability and accepting to host this year’s “One Student, One-Tree” initiative in his traditional area.
This year’s Green Ghana Day is on the theme, “Growing for Greener Tomorrow” slated for June 7 at Burma Camp in Accra, with the aim to plant 10 million trees across the country.
The Minister said the “One Student, One Tree” initiative was aimed at inculcating the habit of tree planting in students and also restoring the degraded forest cover.
He charged all headmasters and headmistresses of Senior High Schools nationwide to collaborate with the Green Ghana Planning Committee to ensure that every student planted a seedling on June 7, and nurtured them to maturity.
Mr Seth Acheampong, the Eastern Regional Minister, in his welcome remarks, assured of the Region’s readiness to partake in the Green Ghana Day on June 7.
The Akufo-Addo/Bawumia-led Government started the Green Ghana Day initiative in 2021 to replenish the degraded forest cover due to the activities of illegal mining, timber logging and other harmful environmental practices.
The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has set a target to plant 10 million trees during this year’s Green Ghana Day.
Since the Green Ghana Project started in 2021 over 42 million seedlings have been planted across the country with more than 70 per cent survival rate.
GNA