Accra, June 10 GNA – Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has stated that matters of the environment and climate change should be devoid of partisan politics and seen as an existential issue for society and every living thing on the planet.
He explained that the Green Ghana Day tree planting exercise should be regarded as efforts at protecting the environment and by extension saving the planet, and thus urged Ghanaians to participate in the programme.
“This bears testimony to the statement once made by the former President of the United States, Barack Obama, that “saving the planet isn’t a partisan issue.”
“No matter what our political persuasion is, it behooves on all Ghanaians to join in the efforts at protecting our environment, and by extension saving our planet,” Speaker Bagbin said.
Speaker Bagbin made the statement when he led the Leadership of Parliament to plant trees at the precincts of the House to commemorate the 2022 Edition of the Green Ghana Day tree planting exercise.
He planted a Moringa Tree (Tree of life).
Mr Andrew Asiamah-Amoako, the Second Deputy Speaker who was present at the function also planted a tree at the precincts of the House.
Besides, Mr Frank Annoh-Dompreh, Majority Chief Whip, Madam Lydia Seyram Alhassan, Deputy Majority Whip and Mr Ahmed Ibrahim, Deputy Minority Whip planted trees on behalf of the First Deputy Speaker, Mr Joseph Osei-Owusu, Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu and Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu respectively.
Members of the House, both the Majority and Minority have travelled to their constituencies to join their constituents in the tree planting exercise.
Speaker Bagbin also stated that the tree planting exercise, however ceremonial it might look, was at the centre of providing sustenance for human existence.
He said: “In today’s world, issues of the environment and climatic change have become topical, not because they are fashionable, but because they are existential issues for you and me, and every living thing on this planet. There is a veritable threat to human existence, which is typified by the impact of environmental degradation on the climate and on our lives.
“What we tend to forget very often is that there is a nexus between the extent to which we protect our environment and our growth and development as a nation. Ghana can therefore not successfully pursue an economic development and growth agenda, if we continue to consign our environmental and climate challenges to the environmental scientists alone…indeed, we require strong partnership with government to forestall the destruction occasioned by environmental degradation.
“My only wish is that today’s annual event will not be for just tree seedlings planting: instead, let us make it a tree growing exercise. Let us look out for the trees we plant and make sure they grow. That is the best way to make progress on climate change…Always remember, when the last tree dies, the last man dies,” he added.
GNA