Accra, June 9, GNA-Members of the Diplomatic Corps have planted trees in the Achimota forest to commemorate the Green Ghana Day instituted by the government to restore lost forest cover.
Speaking ahead of the planting exercise, Nana Akosua Agyeman Prempeh, Board Member Forestry Commission, expressed gratitude to the diplomats for their active participation in the event of the Green Ghana Day since its inception in 2021.
“You have always graced this event with your presence and you don’t take it for granted,” she said.
The Green Ghana Day was instituted in 2021 by the President Akufo-Akufo-Addo when he saw the need for a rigorous afforestation drive to help restore the degraded forest landscapes of the country.
The theme of the 2024 edition of Green Ghana is growing for a greener tomorrow, and the set target is to plant 10 million tree segments, as we did last year.
She said the target was maintained to concentrate on nurturing the over 40 million trees that had been planted in the last three editions.
Nana Agyemang Prempeh encouraged the people to nurture the seedlings planted, adding “planting the seedlings does not end the process, but it should be nurtured to maturity.”
She advised the public to plant their seedlings at places, which will be available forever, otherwise the tree may be cut down and it will defeat the purpose of the Green Ghana Day.
She said the Forestry Commission was pursuing one of its objectives of the Green Ghana project to inculcate in the youth the need to plant and nurture trees.
In this direction, the Commission had engaged students of the Burma Camp Cluster of Schools in Accra, youth groups, and students across the country to urge them to be part of the initiative.
The Dean of the Diplomatic Corps and Lebanese Ambassador to Ghana, His Excellency Maher Kheir, said Green Ghana Day was very significant as it was not only to plant trees, but also to address the serious environmental challenges such as climate change, deforestation and pollution.
“Our planet is in trouble and Ghana, like all our countries, is feeling the effects. Climate change is changing our weather, affecting our farms and misleading our jobs. Deforestation is destroying our forests, harming wildlife and reducing our natural resources,” he said.
“Pollution is making our water, air and soil dirty, which is harmful to our health. But today, it’s not just about recognizing these problems, it’s about committing to solutions and taking action to protect our environment for future generations. On this Green Ghana Day, we need to understand that we all have a role to play,” he added.
He urged all stakeholders to play their roles to ensure change was achieved.
“Every person, community and organization can help. Small actions, when done by many, can lead to a big change. To fight climate change, we need to use renewable energy, be more energy efficient and support eco-friendly transportation.
To stop deforestation, we need to plant more trees and protect our forests to keep our land green. Pollution needs our immediate attention. We should reduce waste, recycle more and use fewer harmful chemicals,” he said.
Members of the Diplomatic Corps inspected the trees they planted in the past three years at the Ghana Seismological Observatory Center.
They later planted more trees at the Achimota Forest Reserve as part of activities to commemorate this year’s GGD.
Some members of the Executive Management Team, Board Members, staff of the Forestry Commission, financial institutions, civil society organisations and members of the media also joined in the planting in the Forest Reserve.
Seedlings planted by the Diplomatic Corps included Militia, Tree of life, Mansonia, Teak and Mahogany.
His Excellency Maher Kheir unveiled a plaque for Green Ghana Day 2024 at the Achimota Forest Reserve.
GNA