Christians Urged To Support Government Tree Planting Project To Fight Forest Reserves Depletion
The District Chief Executive (DCE) for Dormaa West District Assembly in the Bono Region, Mr, Francis Kwadwo Oppong, has educated the congregations of the Church of Pentecost branch at Nkrankwanta on the importance of the Green Ghana project.
Freeman Koryekpor Awlesu Greater 
The District Chief Executive (DCE) for Dormaa West District Assembly in the Bono Region, Mr, Francis Kwadwo Oppong, has educated the congregations of the Church of Pentecost branch at Nkrankwanta on the importance of the Green Ghana project.
He told the congregants that the ambitious project is being initiated by the current New Patriotic Party (NPP) government under President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, aimed at saving depleting forest reserves in the country.
According to him, the government through the support of the Ministry of Lands Natural Resources has already on Friday, June 11, 2021, kick-started an ambitious "Green Ghana” program to plant five million trees as part of efforts to preserve the environment.
He mentioned that the ministry of Lands and Natural Resources under the leadership of Mr. Samuel Anu Jinapor has introduced a project which seeks to plant and nurture five million (5M) trees.
He disclosed to the congregants that the
religious and charitable organizations and heads of numerous ethnic groups also took part in Friday’s effort, while President Nana Akufo-Addo planted a memorial tree in the garden of Jubilee House, the government seat in the capital, Accra.
The Green Ghana Day as part of a master plan of the Green Ghana project seeks to restore the forest cover of Ghana.
However, addressing congregations of the church when he attended the holy matrimony of Mr/Mrs. Ofori at the Church of Pentecost at Nkrankwanta on Sunday, June 12, 2022, Mr. Oppong called on the Christians to support the government's Green Ghana agenda.
He used the opportunity to educate the congregants on the need to plant more trees to sustain the country's forest reserves.
"I am encouraging you all and sundry to support the initiative, he urged adding that “we cannot sit back and watch as our trees, flora, and fauna are wiped out.”
According to the DCE, Ghana's existence is tied directly to the survival of trees, stressing that without the oxygen that is produced by trees, mankind cannot survive as humans.
He pointed out that the nationwide tree-planting exercise which began on Friday, June 10, 2022, will ensure that Ghanaians are not only sowing seeds for one day, but also for generations to come.
To this, the DCE accompanied by party executives including two Assembly members
urged all Ghanaians to join this clarion call and help preserve our environment.
He further urged the congregants to be cautious of a terrorist attack as Ghana has now become a target for these groups. He advised the Church to devise means of scrutinizing newcomers during Church service.
President Nana Akufo on Friday, June 10, 2021, led the occasion to mark Green Ghana Day.
Thousands of bags containing millions of different types of seedlings were distributed in Ghana’s 16 regions.
The planting was done by individuals and other organizations throughout the country.
Ghana’s Lands Minister Samuel Abdulai Jinapor described the event as a great achievement for the West African country.
“As part of the program, we are seeking to work out a formula where the trees to be planted will be economic trees. We are talking about the Timber, Wawa, Nim, Rosewood, and Shea trees. The rationale for this intervention is so that in planting the trees, we are also investing for the future,” he said.
According to the country’s statistics, it is estimated that Ghana’s forest areas have been depleted by 80% since 1900.
The government aims to plant the trees mostly on degraded land.
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