250 Tree seedlings planted at Oyoko Methodist SHS

Microfinance institution ASA Savings and Loans Limited has, together with students of the Oyoko Methodist Senior High School, planted 250 tree seedlings on the school’s compound, as part of its contribution towards the reduction of climate change impacts.

The exercise was in line with the company's environmental sustainability agenda, which seeks to support the national effort to mitigate climate change by improving the country’s vegetative cover, as well as increasing Ghana’s chances of meeting Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13.

The tree planting exercise, which took place last Monday, was carried out with support from the Forestry Commission.

It also formed part of ASA's initiative to plant 3,000 varieties of tree seedlings this year, such as royal palm tree, neem tree and cedrela tree, among others.

Interacting with the students at this year’s maiden tree planting exercise on the school's premises at Oyoko, the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Sustainability Manager of the company, Richard Nartey, said the tree planting exercise was basically to ensure mitigation of climate change and protection of the environment.

Wind-breaks

He stated that it had become necessary to involve students in tree planting, not only to safeguard the environment but to also make the trees serve as wind-breaks to protect school buildings, especially the roofing, from falling off during rainstorms.

The school, Mr Nartey indicated, had been selected because the company needed to inculcate in the students the importance of tree planting, which would enable them to show more interest in it within their environment, most especially where they lived.

He said the tree seedlings planted would be nurtured to grow, to serve as food, as well as provide shade and the improve quality of air for the communities in the area.

“If one person plants one tree each year, there will be about five billion trees more each year on the planet.

“All may not survive, but if we make a conscious effort to plant trees each year, we can imagine the positive effect it will have on this planet.

“Also, if we have people destroying trees, cutting down trees unnecessarily every day, it can lead to more adverse impact on the planet,” Mr Nartey stated.

Tree planting

He, therefore, appealed to the students not to undermine the impact they could make on the planet with their little effort by planting trees each day, each month and each year.

The Headmaster of the school, Seth Darko Odame, also stated that per SDG 13, everyone had a responsibility to the environment and must, therefore, take action to safeguard the climate.

In that regard, he said the school was happy to partner with ASA Savings and Loans Limited to embark on such an exercise to improve the school’s environment.

“For you to select Oyoko Methodist SHS and not any other school, we are so grateful.

“We already know that this gesture is going to benefit the school and the society because it is believed that when the last tree dies, the last person dies,” Mr Odame said.

Nurture trees

Mr Odame assured that the school would ensure that the trees planted were nurtured and closely monitored to grow, to restore what had been lost.

Two Form Two students of the school, Halim Zakaria and Ayisibea Angelina, who were highly elated about the tree planting exercise, told the Daily Graphic that trees provide oxygen and take in carbon dioxide, which are all necessary for human beings.

They said that the greening of the school environment would ensure that excellent academic work is conducted smoothly, adding that the students would also study on their own in a healthy environment.

Writer's email: haruna.wunpini@graphic.com.gh