Accra, June 11, GNA – The government’s Green Ghana Project has officially taken off with the Asantenhene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II on Friday planting a tree in Kumasi.
At a brief ceremony held at the Royal Golf Club in Kumasi, Asantehene Osei Tutu, who was accompanied by the Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Benito Owusu-Bio and Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr Simon Osei-Mensah, performed the opening ceremony by planting trees at the precincts of the Golf Club.
Addressing the gathering before planting his tree, Otumfuo Osei Tutu commended the government for instituting the Green Ghana Project.
He believed it would help safeguard the environment for both present and future generations.
He underscored the need for all well-meaning Ghanaians to embrace the Project and own it, to sustain it.
Mr Osei Mensah, for his part, said the Region would ensure effective coordination and monitoring of institutions and persons participating in the exercise.
“Trees are significant to the survival of human beings. You’ve heard that when the last tree dies, the last man also dies but you have not taken time to interrogate this statement.
“Otumfuo saw the vision years ago and the nation has now adopted it so let us applaud him.
“We are going to commence one million trees in Ashanti Region, which is commencing today, but if we plant one million and illegal miners destroy ten million, what have we gain. In essence, all hands must be on deck to fight this canker.
“I will ensure that this project becomes a success in the Region,”
On his part, the Deputy Minister of Lands and Batu Resources, Mr Owusu-Bio appealed to Ghanaians to partake in the project.
The Green Ghana initiative is aimed at planting more than five million trees to restore the depleted forest cover and preserve the environment.
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