Accra, May 23, GNA—Okyehene Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin II, the Paramount Chief of Akyem Abuakwa Traditional area, has urged Ghanaians to support government’s flagship afforestation programme (Green Ghana Day), which seeks to plant 20 million trees on June 10.
« Green Ghana sustains our future, I therefore urge all citizens to get hold of the seedlings and plant them and watch them grow.
« No one is going to get rich for doing this, but it is a service that will enhance our living and our environment so plant a tree today and watch it grow, » Okyehene stated.
The Okyehene said this when a delegation from the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources led by the Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Commission, Mr. John Allotey called on him at the Kyebi Palace in the Eastern Region on Monday
Okyehene expressed delight for the Green Ghana initiative to plant trees, noting that trees regulated temperatures everywhere around the world and kept humans alive.
« The world is united ecologically and, therefore, when we harm the ecological system, we harm ourselves, » he added.
« It is very selfish to cut trees or destroy any part of the ecological system, we need to take care of these trees for the generation to come. We must be selfless and generational thinkers, » he said.
Osagyefuo Amoatia Panin encouraged the inhabitants of Kyebi to lead the charge in the Eastern Region to plant trees, saying, « You are not doing this for the President, or for me but for yourselves and your generations. »
He was happy that the traditional leadership was involved in such an initiative and said they should be made an integral part of negotiations, from acquiring seedlings to planting them.
Mr. John Allotey thanked Okyehene for his exemplary leadership in the area of environmental protection and sustainability in the country and worldwide.
Mr. Allotey informed the Okyehene about the Ministry’s two-fold Strategy for the 2022 Green Ghana Day.
« We have two strategies- that is to plant 10 million trees in the forest reserves and 10 million in other places like we did last year including households, medians of roads, around waterbodies and schools.
He applauded the King’s participation in the event, saying; « with your leadership and support during the Green Ghana Day in the Eastern Region, we exceeded our target of 500, 000 trees as we planted 700, 000 trees, and we’re grateful ».
« We are grateful for the Okyeman Environment Foundation which has begun a tree planting exercise to plant 25 million trees across all towns and villages within the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional area in the next five years, » Mr Allotey stated.
