By Bright Ntramah
President Akufo-Addo says Ghana has lost about One hundred thousand acres of natural forest in the last decade. This he noted has negatively affected the timber industry which provides employment for thousands of the youth.
President Akufo-Addo stated this when he planted the ceremonial tree at the Efua Sutherland Park in Accra to kick Start the Green Ghana day and noted that the climate crisis has reached an alarming point, threatening human survival.
He said global warming is projected to hit three-point-two degrees Celsius by the end of the Century, hence the need to protect degraded forest areas of the country.
The President, therefore, called on Ghanaians and non-Ghanaians and all living in the country to join in the GreenGhana day to replace the depleted forest cover of the country.
The Green Ghana Initiative seeks to create an enhanced national awareness towards restoration of degraded landscapes in the country, inculcate in the youth the values of tree planting and nurturing trees and their associated benefits, mitigate climate change, and protect watersheds among others.
The 2022 Green Ghana campaign has set an ambitious target of planting at least twenty million tree seedlings on the Day.
Tree seedlings to be planted will include native timber tree species, shade trees, multi-purpose leguminous trees, ornamentals and fruit trees. Half of the target will be implemented within the degraded forest reserves across the country.
President Akufo-Addo said, ”it is the duty of every Citizen to preserve and protect the environment.”
He said Ghana has lost about one hundred thousand acres of natural forests in the last decade.
The President noted that the timber industry which has generated jobs for thousands of people is suffering.
He was worried that the climate crisis has reached a tipping point, adding that there is the need to preserve and develop the forest and other nature-based solutions.
He called on all to ”join efforts at preserving and protecting the environment”.
Traditional rulers, the clergy, members of the diplomatic corps among others took turns to plant a tree.
