The Forestry Commission is seeking the support of chiefs and other stakeholders in the Northern Region towards the Green Ghana project to ensure a successful planting of trees across the country.
Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Commission, Nelson Nyadia Suleimana, who led a team of staff of the Commission to pay a courtesy call on the Chief of Tamale to seek his support towards the project, appealed to traditional authorities in the region to impress on their people to embrace tree planting to protect the environment.
The courtesy call on the Chief formed part of efforts by the Forestry Commission to create awareness among members of the public about the government’s Green Ghana Project, where five million trees are expected to be planted across the country on June 11, this year.
The Green Ghana Project forms part of efforts by the government to preserve the country’s environment.
As part of the project in the Northern Region, 250,000 seedlings including mahogany, acacia, shea and dawadawa have been nursed and would be distributed to faith-based organisations, institutions and individuals to plant across the region on June 11.
Mr Suleimana spoke about the significance of planting trees, saying “if we grow a tree, we contribute to our survival and poverty reduction,” and appealed to traditional authorities to help change the behaviour of their people towards tree planting. He thereby called on residents to support the project.
He also visited the Northern Regional Coordinating Council, where he held discussions with the Regional Coordinating Director, who stood in for the Regional Minister, on the Green Ghana Project and the need for all to support it to ensure success.
He also visited nurseries in Tamale and Savelugu, where he commended the staff of the Commission and Youth in Afforestation for working hard to nurse the seeds for the planting exercise.
Alhaji Alhassan Issahaku, Northern Regional Coordinating Director, said there was the need to secure the livelihoods of the people by securing forests, hence the significance of the project.
Alhaji Issahaku gave assurance that all stakeholders would be involved in the tree planting exercise to enable them to own the project to ensure success.
Story by: Alhassan Yakubu.
