Green Ghana project to become annual event - President Akufo-Addo

President Akufo-Addo says the Green Ghana programme which is aimed planting trees across the country to help shore up the country’s forest cover will become an annual event.

He said "deforestation and forest degradation are the greatest challenges to sustainable forests management in Ghana” and such trends needed to be reversed immediately.

President Akufo-Addo who was speaking at a brief ceremony to plant commemorative a tree at the seat of government in Accra on Friday afternoon, June 11, 2021, to participate in the Green Ghana programme, said "Today's nationwide exercise will not be a one- off exercise, we intend to enhance ongoing afforestation programme, and see to the sustainable exploitation of our forest resources."

The Green Ghana programme, which commenced today [Friday, June 11, 2021] is aimed at planting at least five million trees across Ghana by the various government institutions and agencies as well as the citizenry.

The initiative is part of the government’s efforts to restore the country’s depleting forest cover as well as part of measures to mitigate the impact of climate change in the country.

President Akufo-Addo said the effects of deforestation and forest degradation "is severe climate change, which has dire consequences for our livelihoods."

For him, there is an urgent need to reverse the trend of forest deforestation and forest degradation to restore the country's forest resources.

He said there is no time to waste in restoring the country's forests, saying "we do not have tomorrow...we have to act now."

President Akufo-Addo stressed that government is determined to restore the lost forest cover in the country.

He noted that there are several measures instituted to restore the country’s forests cover, including regulating and sanitising the small scale mining activities.

He pledged that government “is determined to ensure the survival of the five million trees that will be planted during the Green Ghana project.

President Akufo-addo also appealed to all Ghanaians to embrace the Green Ghana programme, saying that it is a collective responsibility for all Ghanaians to take part in the exercise.

He said "this event will be an annual one and plans and targets will be reviewed upwards."