Dunkwa-on-Offin Forest Services Division ready for Green Ghana Day

The Dunkwa-on-Offin District Branch of the Forest Services’ Division of the Forestry Commission (FC) has expressed readiness towards the second edition of the Green Ghana Day slated for Friday, June 10.

Mr Maxwell Agyekum-Oteng, the District Manager of the Service said the Region had targeted to plant 16 million trees and the district was poised to plant 200,000 trees on that day which is to be observed on the theme "Mobilising for a Greener Future".

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Mr Agyekum-Oteng said the seedlings would be planted at the premises of churches, mosques, schools among other designated areas.

“All the sites for planting will be demarcated, and available trees will be placed at vantage points”.

He said his office has begun nursing seedlings to be sent to distribution points across districts for planting and urged members of the public to register for the seedlings and plants at their preferred areas.

Mr Agyekum-Oteng said his office had begun the distribution of letters to various stakeholders such as the Ghana Health Service, Police, Ghana Education Service (GES), traditional leaders, the Municipal Assembly among others to get them informed on the upcoming event.

According to him they had tasked resource guards and range supervisors in charge of various ranges to engage community leaders at remote areas on the impending day to get them involved and fully participate in retrieving the country’s lost forests.

The District Manager said they had begun sensitisation and stakeholders’ engagement to solicit for ideas and support

Mr Oteng-Agyekum emphasized that the seedlings were free of charge and advised all residents to take interest in the exercise, adding that “let’s go planting”.

He said the FC would ensure that site-specific species would be planted in the district; “we are planting species that can be able to adapt to the conditions here. Certain species planted elsewhere cannot be planted here”.

He said baobab, teak, cashew, neem, the khaya senegalensis, timber, tamarine, acacia, rosewood, cassia, albizia lebbeck, and ceiba (kapok), among others, were some of the species of tree seedlings to be planted.

Mr Agyekum-Oteng, said various planting techniques would be used to plant the trees, including the use of mulch to retain moisture.

He called on the citizenry to consistently water the seedlings after planting, protect and nurture them well to ensure their survival.

The Green Ghana project, he indicated will help restore the environment and ensure continuous human existence as one big tree could provide oxygen to about four people a day.

He said tree seedlings to be planted across the country included native timber species, shade trees, multi-purpose leguminous trees, ornamentals and fruit trees.

“This is an ambitious target to plant trees on available sites within communities, parks, roadsides, homes, farmsteads, churches, mosques and schools”, he added.

The Green Ghana initiative was under the distinguished leadership of the President Nana Addo-Dankwa Akufo-Addo and forms part of government's aggressive afforestation programme to restore lost forest cover and contribute to the global efforts to fight climate change.

It was also intended to create enhanced national awareness on the necessity for collective action towards the restoration of degraded landscapes in the country and inculcate in the youth the values of planting and nurturing trees.