Asantehene Launches Green Ghana Day Tomorrow
Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II will tomorrow launch the 2023 Green Ghana Day.
It will be his first public appearance following his return from the United Kingdom (UK) over the weekend.
This was contained in a flyer posted by the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor on social media.
The Green Ghana Day was introduced by the Akufo-Addo-led government in 2021 as an aggressive national afforestation/reforestation programme to restore the lost forest cover of Ghana and to contribute to the global effort to mitigate climate change.
It was first observed on June 11 2021, when an estimated seven million tree seedlings were planted across the country.
The second edition was observed on June 10, 2022.
During both years, it was launched by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
This year’s event will take place at the Great Hall of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).
Launch of Green Ghana Day 2023.#LetsGoPlanting pic.twitter.com/TxCMskKYSY
— Samuel A. Jinapor (@SamuelAJinapor) May 16, 2023
2023 Green Ghana Day
The Day will be observed on June 9 with a target of 10 million seedlings down from the 20 million which was targeted in 2022.
According to Hon Jinapor, this will ensure adequate care for the planted seedling.
During a press conference last month, he said field assessment reports show a 72% survival rate last year compared with 81% in 2021.
He said the survival rate was affected by external factors including rainfall patterns, wildfires and soil fertility. That notwithstanding, he said the survival rate shows there remain 23 million trees to nurture.
“It is for this reason, this year, the government has decided to revise our target downwards to 10 million trees. This will give us some attention and resources over the trees planted last two years on our quest to restore our degraded landscape,” he said
The government targeted five million seedlings two years ago, however, over seven million were planted. The country ended up planting 24 million seedlings after targeting 20 million trees.
The Green Ghana Day this year will be held under the theme “Our Forest, Our Health”.
The theme signifies “the significance of forest in our lives and to remind us of the many health and related benefits we derive from forests.”
“Seedlings will be made available at the Ministry of Lands, District offices of the Forestry Commission and at various designated locations for collection on the Green Ghana Day,” he noted.
