Accra, June 23, GNA – An associate professor at the Department of Marine and Fisheries SCIENCES, University of Ghana, Legon, has called for a national shift in approach of just planting trees to intentionally nurturing them as a long-term climate change solution.
Dr Francis Kofi Ewusie Nunoo, informed that while tree planting remained an essential intervention for climate resilience, some of the trees planted across the country did not survive beyond the first year due to poor maintenance and a lack of community ownership.
He was speaking at tree planting exercise organised by Women in Water, Sanitation and Climate Change (WWSCC) and partners at the Accra High School.
More than 2,000 seedlings made up ornamentals, vegetables, fruits and shade plants were planted at the school.
Prof Nunoo, Madam Evelyn Sagbil Nabia, the Headmistress of the School and Mr Sai Subramanian, the Asset Director of Tullow Ghana, planted seedlings in their name.
“Planting a tree is only the beginning. We must water, protect, and monitor them if we want to realise the true environmental, economic, and social benefits trees offer.”Prof. Nunoo said.
He added that trees served as carbon sinks, drawing down greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, helping to reduce global warming and mitigate climate change impacts such as extreme heat, erratic rainfall, and floods.
Prof. Nunoo said Ghana, like many African nations, was increasingly vulnerable to the effects of climate change and one of the important measures to live with the impacts.
He urged the government to invest in monitoring technologies, irrigation systems, and community-based incentive schemes that reward high survival rates.
Madam Nabia, welcomed the initiative and said the environmental club of school would ensure that each tree planted was assigned a caretaker to well nurture it.
She said the exercise had not only beautified the school environment but had also inspired a sense of responsibility among the students towards protecting nature.
“This event goes beyond the physical act of planting trees. It is about planting ideas and values in the hearts of our young ones, values of sustainability, environmental stewardship, and civic responsibility,” she said.
Madam Nabia noted that the trees planted would serve multiple purposes, including providing shade, improving air quality, and supporting biodiversity on the school compound.
Madam Sandra Kyere, the Executive Director of WWSCC, said the exercise, formed part of a broader climate action initiative aimed at promoting environmental stewardship among the youth.
She explained that involving students in such practical activities was a deliberate effort to inspire long-term behavioural change and environmental consciousness from an early age.
“We believe schools are fertile grounds not just for academic learning, but also for cultivating values that shape responsible citizens. Planting a tree may seem small, but it is a powerful act of hope and investment in the future,” the Executive Director stated.
Madam Kyere noted that the initiative aligned with national and global goals, including Ghana’s Green Ghana campaign and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 13 on Climate Action and Goal 15 on Life on Land.
GNA
23 June 2025
Edited by Samuel Osei-Frempong