We're caging the trees we planted because of enemies who don't like Green Ghana project — Okaikoi North MCE

The government's ambitious Green Ghana Project, held on June 7, 2024, has faced a setback as some tree seedlings planted in Accra have been destroyed.

This initiative aims to plant 10 million tree seedlings nationwide, bringing the total number of trees planted since 2021 to 54.5 million. Despite efforts to improve survival rates, stray animals and encroachers have damaged some of the newly planted trees.

In the Okaikoi North Municipality, the Assembly responsible for implementing the project has taken protective measures such as caging and fencing to safeguard the 10,000 trees planted there. Municipal Chief Executive Officer Boye Laryea told ChannelOne News, “We are targeting 10,000 trees to be planted. Because of previous experiences, we are now caging those that we think will be affected by people who are not interested in this tree-planting initiative. So, areas that we think we can cage, we are caging them.”

When ChannelOne News visited the Apenkwa Roundabout, where tree seedlings had been planted, the area was fenced and locked to prevent encroachers from destroying the new trees. At the Achimota District Courts, where tree seedlings were also planted, some plants were observed to be caged in wooden structures. However, this could not fully prevent goats and other stray animals from damaging some of the trees.

The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has promised to release official data and survival rates in the coming days.

Launched in 2021, the Green Ghana Project aims to restore Ghana’s depleted forest cover and combat climate change, with previous editions reportedly achieving a 71% to 85% tree survival rate.

-citinewroom