Sandema’s green legacy from forefathers

The people of Sandema in the Builsa North Municipality in the Upper East Region see it as their pride, duty and tradition to preserve the ancient trees planted along the shoulders of the roads and in the township.

The chiefs and people have been leading a crusade against deforestation and climate change for decades now to preserve the environment.

Shady, beautiful, green, tall trees that form a canopy, such as Mahogany and neem, line up the main street welcoming every visitor into the township. Virtually, the entire township is interspersed with trees.  

The tree canopies provide shade for the residents and commuters along the road.

They have wide branches with thick leafy covers and branches intertwined from each side, creating a nice canopy, saving travellers from the heat of the sun, beautifying the street, and ushering them into the town with fresh air blowing gently.

Upon entering the town from Navrongo, one is welcomed by these trees from the Bilinsa community, a few metres from the Sandema Senior High Technical School.

The trees have become part of the town’s identity and the people have immense love for them. 

History

The iconic trees are said to have been planted by the forefathers of the people some decades ago to provide shade and beautify the area.

An opinion leader, Achaab Samuel, told the Daily Graphic that the trees were the legacy of their forefathers and that the people were going to every extent to preserve such legacy.

“Our forefathers planted the trees for us, and we are proud of our heritage; the trees represent our identity, and we are jealously safeguarding them,” he said.

On several occasions, the people have fiercely resisted attempts to clear the trees for the expansion of the main road to the town.

For instance, in 2019, the residents fiercely protested against the destruction of the iconic trees for a road expansion project.

According to the residents, though there was the need to expand the road and fix its poor state to open up the area, it would be good for authorities to undertake the project without endangering the trees.

In an interview, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Builsa North, Vida Anaab, said given the importance of the trees to the people, there was no way the trees would be cleared for construction works.

She gave an assurance that the trees would not be tampered with and that a section of the road where the trees were lined up would not be expanded into a dual carriage road but would be worked on.

An Environmental Activist, Nana Yaw Osei-Darkwa, in a recent interview, lauded the chiefs and people of Sandema for jealously safeguarding the environment.

He said such a bold decision taken by the residents to prevent authorities from felling the age-long iconic trees for a road project was the best way to ensure that the environment was not endangered.

“Let’s all emulate the decision the people of Sandema took to protect the environment since protecting the environment is a collective responsibility,” he said.

Geography

Sandema is the capital of the Builsa North Municipal Assembly and the seat of the Paramount Chief of the Builsa Traditional Area.

With an estimated land size of 816 km2 and a population of over 56, 477 inhabitants, the area lies westward of the Upper East Region, sharing borders with the Kassena-Nankana Municipality and the Kassena-Nankana West District.

The area is blessed with diverse culture and its people celebrate the popular Feok Festival, which draws thousands of visitors from all walks of life yearly. 

Writer’s email: mohammed.fugu@graphic.com.gh