By Yussif Ibrahim
Drobonso (Ash), June 06, GNA – The Konongo Area Office of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in collaboration with Miro Forestry and Timber Products, has organised a tree planting exercise at Drobonso in the Sekyere Afram Plains District to mark this year’s World Environment Day.
The exercise, which was undertaken by staff of EPA, Miro Forestry and Timber Products, the District Assembly, traditional leaders, as well as schools in the community was aimed at whipping up public interest in tree planting.
Beyond the ceremonial planting, the traditional council had provided lands for large-scale plantation as part of efforts to restore degraded lands in the district.
World Environment Day is celebrated on June 5, annually to raise awareness and promote action for the protection of the planet.
The global theme for this year’s celebration is, “Land Restoration, Desertification and Drought Resilience,” with the slogan, “Our Land Our Future.”
Mr. Dawood Abass, the Konongo Area Head of EPA, speaking on the national theme, “A Journey to a Greener Future,” said it underscored the importance of restoring lands and ecosystems to combat desertification, promote biodiversity, and mitigate climate change impacts.
He said droughts, exacerbated by climate change, threatened food security and livelihoods and that building resilience through water conservation and sustainable practices could mitigate the effects and foster sustainable development.
He emphasised the need for trees planted in commemoration of the day to be nurtured to serve their purpose, stressing the need to depart from the practice where such trees were left to survive on their own.
“We need to take care of whatever we have planted.
Usually, we plant trees and leave them to die, and we do not benefit from them, but this time let us all take care of the trees,” he advised.
Mr. Dawood disclosed that Sekyere Afram Plains is a beneficiary of the Ghana Landscape Restoration and Small-scale Mining Project which engages farmers on sustainable agricultural practices to sustain the richness of the land.
“Due to poor farming practices, we have lost the richness of the lands and when we plant, we hardly get the produce that we want.
So as part of the project, the farmers are trained on proper agricultural practices, and about 2,000 farmers from 18 communities have benefitted so far,” he noted.
He revealed that the EPA was also leading riparian restoration activities in the Sekyere Afram Plains District with close to 50 hectares covered in the last two years.
He reiterated the importance of the people owning such initiatives by taking deliberate steps to take care of the trees as direct beneficiaries.
Ms. Ernestina Osei Peprah, Group Compliance Manager, Miro Forestry and Timber Products, said as a company involved in tree planting, they found it relevant to partner EPA in commemorating World Environment Day.
She said it was important to support activities that sought to improve livelihoods in communities within their catchment areas who are key stakeholders of their operations.
She added that aside the trees they grew for harvesting and commercial purposes, about 40 per cent of their total lease areas had been put under conservation as part of efforts to mitigate effects of climate change.
Nana Kwaku Amponsah, a representative of the Chief of Drobonso who took part in the tree planting exercise, applauded the EPA and Miro for the numerous interventions towards environmental protection at Drobonso and its environs.
GNA