Sekondi, June 11, GNA – Nana Kobina Nketsiah V, the Paramount Chief of Essikado Traditional Area, has lauded the government for the initiative to green Ghana for the health and well-being of the people.
“Green is life and nothing else, and I am impressed that the Government has bought into the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources’ decision to resuscitate the environment… leadership is indeed directing us to the path of life again.”
Nana Kobina Nketsiah V said this at the Western Regional Coordinating Council’s symbolic tree planting exercise as the country observed Green Ghana day.
The Regional exercise sits on the laps of the Forest Services Department, the Wildlife Department and the Timber Industry Department of the Forestry Commission.
Trees planted included Prekese, Cassia, Mahogany, coconut, Cedrela, Ofram and Emire.
He said, “Our forest is our pharmacy…and we need our forest to combine herbs for help and strength…see the wonders of neem tree in managing COVID-19 and other sicknesses.
The Western Regional Minister, Mr Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, described the process as the best thing to happen in the environmental space of the country, bearing in mind the level of forest cover depletion as a result of illegal mining and felling of trees.
He said the Region might exceed the 250,000 target set for it, adding, “We are looking at planting 500,000 in the interim and one million in the long run.”
He said, as a Region with lots of forest and forest products contributing significantly to the GDP of the country, there was no doubt the green Ghana project would add more to the forest cover, increase forest products and produce the needed economic, spiritual and health benefits as well.
Dr Mohammed Nurudeen, the Operations Manager of the Timber Industry Department of the Forestry Commission in the Region, said the dwindling forest cover, climate change and environmental issues of concern solidified the Ministry’s case for every Ghanaian to plant trees to secure the future.
He said the exercise was also in line with the UN Strategic plan to expand member countries forest cover and use the sector to eradicate poverty.
Dr Nurudeen said the exercise would, therefore, form part of the work plan of the Ministry to ensure that the trees planted were nurtured and more and more planted in the coming years.
GNA