By Christopher Tetteh
Abesim, (Bono), June 27, GNA – Ecobank Ghana Sunyani Branch on Friday planted tree species at the premises of some schools in the Sunyani Municipality to support the government’s ‘Tree4Life Reforestation’ Initiative.
President John Dramani Mahama launched the ‘Tree for Life Reforestation’ Initiative as a major national effort to restore the nation’s forests, which provide essential resources such as food, water, medicine, and employment to many Ghanaians.
The beneficiary schools were the Abesim St James Seminary Senior High School and the K NAS Basic School Complex at Dr Berko, a quarter of Sunyani.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on the side-lines of the tree planting exercises, Mr. Mohammed Awudu, the Sunyani Branch Manager of Ecobank Ghana, said the bank was also committed to contribute to restoring the nation’s depleted forest and vegetative cover and ensuring environmental sustainability.
In that regard, he said the bank was partnering with the Forestry Commission to plant over 2,500 species of trees in some towns, cities and communities in five regions, to support the ‘Tree4Life Reforestation’ initiative, the trees were being planted across 20 institutions, including schools, churches and hospitals.
They include Tema, Sakumono, Dodowa, Adenta, Madina, Kumasi, Sunyani, Tamale, Esiama, Tarkwa, Takoradi and Kasoa.
Mr Awudu said: “The Ecobank Tree Planting” exercise is in line with our core activities for 2025,”, saying the bank had also acquired two-hectares of degraded land to reforest Chipa Forest Reserve, near Dodowa in the Tema Forest District.
“Trees are visually appealing and have many benefits of absorbing carbon dioxide and other potentially harmful gases like Sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide, releasing oxygen and improving air quality as well as helping to regulate temperatures, and serving as habitats for wildlife too.”
Mr. Awudu said between 2012 and 2018, the Bank embarked on several environmental protection activities of tree planting, donation of waste bins, cleanup exercises and fora to sensitized students and the general public on environmental protection.
“Ecobank’s drive to reduce the use of paper through digitization as well as promoting financial literacy and financial inclusion, targeting both the underserved and unbanked sectors of society have positively impacted on humanity and the environment,” he added.
Mr. Gabriel Gyabaah, the Deputy Sunyani District Forestry Manager, ho joined the tree planting exercise told the GNA in an interview: “We must all work together to improve quality weather conditions…It’s imperative for all of us to understand that when the last tree dies, the last man dies.
He urged everybody to support the ‘Tree4Life Reforestation’ initiative, plant and nurture trees for the nation to derive the optimum benefit.
GNA
Edited by Dennis Peprah/Benjamin Mensah