By Elsie Appiah-Osei
Accra, July 17, GNA— Mr. John Darko, a New Patriotic Party Member of Parliament for Suame, has proposed that Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) make tree planting and green landscaping a condition for issuing building permits.
He said such a policy would not only beautify communities but also serve as a natural defence against environmental hazards such as flooding.
“Mr. Speaker, by promoting green urban development, Ghana can enhance environmental sustainability and climate resilience,” he said.
Mr. Darko made the call while contributing to a statement on the need to invest in greening Ghana’s urban spaces.
He said, “Mr. Speaker, in this country, many homes do not have a single tree or a patch of grass. Unlike other jurisdictions where greening is mandatory for homeowners, we have no such regulation. This contributes to flooding, as there is nothing to absorb rainwater in most residential areas.”
“We tend to pass laws that punish. But when it comes to greening our communities, we must rather encourage people—help them understand the benefits. If we do this, the vision of greening our cities… will be fully realized,” he added.
The Suame MP’s proposal included requiring building permit applicants to commit to planting trees or maintaining green lawns on their properties, empowering Homeowners Associations (HOAs) to enforce greening standards within their residential communities, and shifting from punitive to persuasive policy approaches to encourage citizens to maintain green environments.
GNA
Christian Akorlie