Cape Coast, June 10, GNA – The Central Regional Branch of the Forest Service Division of the Forestry Commission has distributed more than 440,000 seedlings ahead of Friday, June 11 Green Ghana tree planting celebration.
The Green Ghana Day, an initiative under the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, is aimed at planting five million trees across the country to restore forest reserves, water bodies and beautify the country.
Mr Michael Pentsil, Regional Manager of the Forest Services Division, at a brief ceremony to hand over seedlings to the Regional Minister, Mrs Justina Marigold Assan, said the Region was expected to plant 400,000 seedlings.
He said, however, because of high demand the allocation was increased by 20 per cent 550,000 to be planted on the day to restore the damaged ecosystem and mitigate climate change.
Mr Pentsil said various stakeholders had partnered with the Commission and that the Region would plant more trees than expected on the day.
The Regional Manager urged the citizenry to adopt the habit of planting trees and also take advantage of the project to improve the environment.
The Commission, he noted, would record details of people who would participate in the exercise and deploy officers to monitor and ensure that the trees planted were properly nurtured.
He said about 14 areas were earmarked for seedlings collection within the Cape Coast Metropolis, including schools, churches and other institutions.
Receiving the seedlings, the Regional Minister Mrs Assan, expressed gratitude to various stakeholders expected to participate in the exercise and appealed to all to get involved.
She said the RCC was ready to support the exercise to ensure its sustainability, which would go a long way to save the forests and water bodies from destruction by human activities.
Mrs Assan urged the media to liaise with the Commission and support the exercise.
GNA