By Fatima Anafu –Astanga
Bolgatanga, Feb. 24, GNA – Dry weather conditions affect performance and growth of trees planted under the Green Ghana Project, an intervention instituted as part of a flagship programme of the erstwhile NPP administration in Upper East Region.
The three Northern Regions including the Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions suffer dry and hot weather conditions around this season.
A follow-up on several of these trees planted last year during the planting season indicates that trees faced challenges at their various stages of performance due to the dry weather.
Some stakeholders and staff of the Forestry Commission (FC) this reporter interacted with indicated, “the trees we water every day, if you look at the growth of the trees in the nursery, it is not too good. Though some are doing well the others are not doing well though we water. Unless the rain come again “. Mr Paul Hinneh, District Manager of the Bolgatanga Forestry Division said.
Mr Paul Hinneh said a nursery currently being cared for currently has an excess of 140,000 tree seedlings.
He also noted that 230, 000 trees were given out in 2024 to NGOs ,churches and individuals and indicated that Green Ghana, is in its fourth year since it was initiated in 2021 and added that though some of the trees planted did not do well , others were picking up slowly because it is not in the rainy season.
On monitoring of the trees, the District Director said the project is ongoing and staff were monitoring various levels of performance of the trees that were picked by stakeholders at onset of the rains in 2024.
“Right now, because of the weather condition much will not be seen until the rains start again.” The District Manager indicated.
Last year 600,000 trees were earmarked for the Upper East Region to be planted in the various forest districts.
The Bolgatanga East District received a total of 285,000 out of which 250,000 were earmarked for the forest reserve, 35,000 in the off forest reserve and in the Navrongo Forest district 235,000 trees seedling allocated with 200,000 for the reserve and 80 in the off forest reserve while in the Bawku forest district 80,000 made up of 50,000 forest reserve and 30,000 for the off forest reserve.
GNA