<<Print>>

The First Lady, Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo, has called on Ghanaians to plant more trees to restore the country’s lost forests, repair the damaged ecosystems and mitigate climate change.

She said trees influenced everything “from our environment to our physical health,” adding that "Without trees to regulate and maintain the environment, there would be no life.”

At the launch of the “Planting for Now and Future” project by the Department of Parks and Gardens, held at the Aburi Botanic Gardens in the Eastern region, the First Lady, represented by Mr Kwaku Kwaakye, an officer of the Rebecca Foundation, emphasised that trees produce oxygen, which was vital to life on earth and so people must cherish and nourish trees.

The launch of the tree planting programme, which rolls out the planting of the one million trees in two years across Ghana, also coincided with the commemoration of the 2021 World Environment Day held on the theme: "Ecosystem Restoration."

The First lady urged the citizenry to make a difference by planting and caring for trees in their homes and public spaces.

She reiterated expert opinion that if everyone planted and cared for one tree annually, there would be 75 billion new trees within the next 10 years.

The First Lady disclosed that the Rebecca Foundation was poised to join efforts at restoring the ecosystem by partnering with the Department of Parks and Gardens to plant a million trees across the country, over the next two years.

To seal the partnership, a tree was planted on behalf of the First Lady in the Aburi Botanic Garden.

The First Lady expressed hope in the future of planet earth if “we all took the necessary steps to restore our lost forests and mitigate climate change.”

"Today as we plant a tree to launch this project, I do so with a sense of humility and confidence that decades and centuries later, someone will stand under this tree, touch it, connect to its presence and stand in awe of nature," she added.

The Acting Director of the Department of Parks and Gardens, Rev. Charles Nii Ayitey Okine, in his remarks, highlighted the need to care for the environment and conserve nature.

He also emphasised the need to embrace the concept of PNS (Plant, Nurture and Sustain).

Mrs Matilda Amissah-Arthur, a former second lady, appealed to the citizenry to plant a tree where they live or work, avoid littering with plastics and throwing rubbish into streams and rivers.

She urged people to support the Parks and Gardens by making a cash donation to the Department to purchase seeds, seedlings and cages to green the environment.

Present at the ceremony were, Nana Otubour Djan Kwesi, Chief of Aburi, Mr O. B. Amoah, MP for Akuapem South Constituency, Mr Frank Aidoo, MCE for Akuapem South Municipal Assembly, and Mr Frank Raji, Director of Administration, Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, who represented the Minister of Local Government, Mr Dan Botwe.

They all planted trees at the VVIP lawn (Lawn one) earmarked for such planting to commemorate World Environment Day.