Five million trees were due to be planted across Ghana on Friday as part of a massive government-led “Green Ghana” programme to save depleting forest reserves.
According to statistics from the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, Ghana’s current forest cover stands at 1.6 million hectares, down from 8.2 million in 1900.
Lands and natural resources minister Samuel Abu Jinapor told Newsmen on Friday that the forest cover is depleting as a result of galamsey and harvesting of trees for different purposes.
He stated it was time for action adding that the aim of Green Ghana is to save the country and future generations now.
Under the project, the government provided free seedlings to Ghanaians from all walks of life including celebrities, government officials, parliamentarians, traditional leaders and school children.
The director of operations at the Forestry Commission, Hugh Brown, also added that the project looks ambitious but the government is committed to sustain it over the next five years.
Illegal small-scale gold mining and indiscriminate felling of trees without proper reforestation have led to huge environmental degradation in the West African country.
President Nana Akufo-Addo has vowed a crackdown on illegal small-scale mining, known locally as “galamsey”, in an attempt to curb its environmental damage.
Neighbouring Ivory Coast last year also launched a “tree day”, hoping to counter some of the deforestation caused largely by the cultivation of cocoa.
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