The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has said that over 40 million trees have been planted across the country, since the commencement of Green Ghana Day in 2021.
According to the President, the target for 2024 was to plant some ten million trees, bringing the total trees planted in the last four years to 52 million trees, under the Green Ghana Day initiative, describing it as an incredible achievement.
President Akufo-Addo was speaking at a ceremony to mark the 2024 Green Ghana Day, held on Friday, June 7, 2024 in Burma Camp. Accra.
“In the last three years, with your unwavering support, we have planted some 42 million trees, most of which are thriving. Today, we have the opportunity to add at least an additional 10 million trees, bringing our total to 52 million trees in just four years. This is an incredible achievement,” he said.
In the first edition, seven million trees were planted, while 24 million trees and 10.7 million tree seedlings were planted in 2022 and 2023 respectively.
INSPIRE
The theme for the fourth edition of the Green Ghana Day initiative: “Growing for a Greener Tomorrow,” the President said must inspire the whole country to participate in this national tree planting exercise.
According to him, the initiative “captures the essence of our collective aspiration to nurture our environment for the benefit of future generations. It is a clarion call for us to live in a greener, better and more prosperous world.”
President Akufo-Addo, in his address, urged all Ghanaians to grab a seedling, plant it and nurture it to maturity.
He explained that every seedling planted was a step towards a sustainable future, adding that the goal could not be achieved if the seedlings were not cared for.
“We cannot provide the greener tomorrow we desire if the seedlings do not grow to maturity.
This tree-planting exercise must not end today. It must continue until the trees can stand on their own and contribute to the sustainable future we are aspiring to attain,” the president underscored.
REDUCING GAS
The president indicated that Ghana was committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by six to four million metric tonnes of carbon dioxide, equivalent by 2030 to enhance the country’s resilience and adaptation to climate change.
He said as part of measures to achieve that goal, Ghana launched the resilient country package at the 28th session of the Conference of Parties (COP) 28 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, held in Dubai last year.
The initiative is aimed at advancing nature-based industrialisation and sustainable rural development, building an inclusive green country economy with future green jobs and scaling up the nation’s climate ambition.
ULTIMATE TREE
This year’s tree planting exercise also marked the last of President Akufo-Addo. Since the roll out of the initiative in 2021, President Akufo-Addo has always planted a tree to commemorate the day and to urge citizens to do the same.
Last Friday, the President planted the seedling of an African Star Apple, commonly known as ‘Alasa’ (Chrysophyllum albidum) at the Nicholson Stadium, Burma Camp.
On June 9, 2023 the President planted the Velvet Tamarind, known locally as ‘yooyi” by the Gas, ‘atsitoe’ by the Ewes and ‘Asamba’ by Fantes, at the University of Ghana, in the Greater Accra Region.
On June 10, 2022, he planted the African mahogany seedling at the Efua Sutherland Memorial Park in Accra.
In the maiden event on June 11, 2021, President Akufo-Addo planted a Moringa seedling, also known as the tree of life, at Jubilee House.
SIGNIFICANT ROLE
The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel A. Jinapor indicated in his address that Ghana has made significant strides in world forest management and climate action.
He added that Ghana was made co-chair of FCLP alongside the United States of America at the Forest and Climate Leaders’ Partnership (FCLP) dialogue and other international initiatives, following Ghana’s exemplary leadership.
He also recalled that in 2023, Ghana became the second country in Africa and the third in the world to receive results-based payments from the World Bank’s Carbon Fund for reducing emissions under the Ghana Cocoa REDD+ Programme, which the President launched in 2019.
Further, he said, Ghana signed a new Emission Reductions Purchase Agreement (ERPA) under the Lowering Emissions by Accelerating Forest Finance (LEAF) Coalition at COP28, becoming one of two countries to sign such a progressive agreement.
He added that last month, the government signed a similar agreement with Tullow Oil, replicating the global gains here in the country.
“The Green Ghana Day has become a cornerstone of these efforts, with the survival rate of planted trees increasing each year, from 67% in 2021 to 81% in 2023,” he remarked.
IN ATTENDANCE
The President was joined by the Minister of Defence, Dominic Nitiwul, the Minister for the Interior, Henry Quartey; the Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Ophelia Hayford, Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Lydia Seyram Alhassan and some parliamentarians.
Also present was the Chief of Defence Staff, Lt Gen. Thomas Oppong Peprah, other service chiefs, the Chief Executive of the Forestry Commission, John Allotey, the chairman and some members of the Forestry Commission Board.
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