FC launches campaign to grow more trees

Accra, May 29, GNA - The Forestry Commission has launched a campaign to encourage Ghanaians to grow more trees to increase the country's vegetative cover.

Dubbed 'One Man, One Tree, Campaign,' it is to encourage Ghanaians to be able to plant at least one tree every year to increase the vegetative cover of Ghana and protect the forest.

That will ensure that the forests continue to play their natural role of absorbing excess carbon dioxide and other dangerous gases in the atmosphere in order to prevent global warming, and mitigate climate change.

Mr Samuel Afari-Dartey, Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Commission, at the launch, said the forests provide a lot of environmental services such as the protection of water bodies, which are not paid for by the government or the institutions which directly or indirectly benefit from these services.

This, he said, had resulted in the loss of income for the Commission and the government, adding that measures would soon be adopted to ensure payment for all environmental services.

On the Achimota Eco Park Project, Mr Afari-Dartey said plans were advanced to commence the 323-million-dollar project to be completed in five years.

The Eco Park will comprise a spiritual enclave, an amphitheatre, a cultural village, a safari drive, an arboretum, amusement parks, and eco-lodges, among others.

Lands and Natural Resources Minister, Nii Osah Mills, said: 'this is the time Ghanaians must take action against deforestation and forest degradation, adding, failure to do so, will mean Ghana will continue to face poverty, food insecurity and adverse climatic conditions.'

The chairman of the Board of Commissioners of the Forestry Commission, Mr Edward Alloysius Prah, stated that forests contribute to the oxygen-carbon balance in the air and protect sources of fresh water.

He noted that Ghana has lost over 80 per cent of its forests since the beginning of the 1900s, as a result of farming, legal and illegal timber harvesting, urbanization, legal and illegal mining

The 'One Man, One tree' campaign forms part of the Fourth Forestry Week and Greening Ghana Day week-long celebration on the theme: 'Healthy Forests Mitigate Climate Change.'

The celebration is to commemorate the International Day of Forests, which falls on March 21 each year. The International Day of Forests is a day set aside by the United Nations to raise awareness of the importance of all types of forests and trees outside forests.

However, the UN allows member-states to adopt the celebration of the International Day of Forests and the date to suit their peculiar circumstances. The Forestry Commission of Ghana chose the month of May for the celebration of the day because of the favourable climatic conditions during that time of the year for planting and other silvi-cultural operations.

Celebrities Kalsum Sinare, Ekow Smith Asante, Mercy Asiedu, Okyeame Kwame and Irene Opare, asked Ghanaians to lend their support to the campaign.

GNA