Get infected by 'Greenness Virus' now to save Ghana — Ghanaians told

The Ehunabobrim Nana Prah Agyensaim VI, Member of the Council of State, has entreated Ghanaians, irrespective of their political, religious and ethnic affiliations, to join the 'Green Ghana Project' campaign to plant five million trees a day across the country.

The member also the Paramount Chief of Assin Owirekyi Traditional Area in the Central Region, who chaired the inauguration of a 60-member multi-stakeholder national planning committee for Green Ghana Project in Accra, underlined the need for Ghanaians to plant trees to save the depleting forest cover, ravaged by the activities of illegal small-scale mining.

"We want the whole of Ghana to be infected by a virus called 'Greenness'. We want trees to be sprouted everywhere in Ghana.

"If this is an epidemic, then it is important that we all contribute towards spreading it in Ghana.

"This is a test of our spirit of patriotism and volunteerism and an opportunity to prove that we love our country," Ehunabobrim Prah Agyensaim emphasised.

The Green Ghana Project is an initiative of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to plant five million trees a day on Friday, June 11, this year.

The programme is on the theme, "Forest Landscape Restoration: Planting five million trees a day" and is expected that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo will plant a commemorative tree on that day.

Other high-profile personalities who will plant a tree each include; Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, Speaker of Parliament Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, Chief Justice Kwasi Anin Yeboah and Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.

Minister of Lands and Natural Resources Samuel Abu Jinapor, in his welcome remarks, reiterated the government's directive not to issue Forest Entry Permit to any mining company until further notice.

He appealed to every Ghanaian to plant a tree and nurture it to maturity, to contribute towards the preservation of the environment.

The multi-stakeholder planning committee is chaired by Mr Benito Owusu-Bio, a former Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, tasked to ensure a successful planting of five million trees on June 11, 2021.

There are four other subcommittees- Finance, Publicity and Protocol, Operations and Logistics and Monitoring and Reporting.

The Committee is made up of persons with diverse professional background and expertise.

They were selected from both public and private organizations including; the Forestry Commission, Ghana Revenue Authority, Association of Ghana Industries, Trades Union Congress, Ghana Union of Traders and Ghana Immigration Service.

Mr John Allotey, the Chief Executive Officer of Forestry Commission, whose agency is implementing the Green Ghana project, pledged his support towards a successful exercise and pledged to make their offices and logistics available for the roll-out of the programme.

—GNA