Corporate organizations in Ghana have been urged to adopt degraded forest reserves and re-green as part of their contribution to the Green Ghana Project.
The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Samuel Abu Jinapor, who gave the advice said such adopted forests could be named after the corporate bodies nurturing them as part of their social responsibility to the forest ecosystem.
The forest compartments can also as serve as a re-set of the corporate bodies’ carbon footprints on the earth, he added.
The Minister, who was speaking in Parliament on Thursday ahead of this year’s Green Ghana Project on Friday, said the Ministry has adopted a two-pronged approach to plant 20 million trees across the country.
He said the first approach involved the planting of 10 million seedlings in degraded forest reserves in compartments and encouraged corporate bodies to adopt, nurture and own them.
On the second approach, he said 10 million seedlings would be planted outside forest reserves, particularly in farms, degraded wetlands, water boundaries, office compounds, around community parks, roadsides, homes, churches, mosques and schools.
He hinted that each of the 16 regions has been given a target, adding that seedlings would be available at the District Offices of the Forestry Commission, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies and other designated public places to enable every Ghanaian to participate in the exercise.
He disclosed that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo would lead the nationwide tree planting exercise at the Efua Sutherland Park in Accra at 8 am by planting the first tree, adding that the Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, would join residents in Tamale to plant trees.
The Speaker of Parliament would also plant a tree within the precincts of Parliament and the Chief Justice would plant a tree within the precincts of the Supreme Court, he added.
He said some eminent Ghanaians would lead the exercise in various parts of the country.
He disclosed that former Presidents John Agyekum Kufour and President John Dramani Mahama would plant a tree in Gomoa Nsuaem in the Central Region and a suburb of Accra respectively.
“The Asantehene will plant in Kumasi, and the Ya-Na will plant in Yendi. His Eminence the National Chief Imam, and other eminent clergies, will also plant a tree across the country,” he added.
Mr Jinapor encouraged Ghanaians to participate in the exercise to restore the country’s lost forest cover.
Eva Frempon-Ntiamoah, ISD
