Green Ghana Day: Otumfuo Plants A Tree

Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has contributed to the ten million seedlings targeted to go into soils across Ghana today.

This marks the third edition of the Green Ghana Day initiative by the Akufo-Addo-led government intended to restore the country’s lost forest cover and to contribute to the global effort to mitigate climate change.

This year’s initiative is under the theme “Our Forest, Our Health”.

At the Royal Golf Park in Kumasi on June 9, the King added one more tree to the number of trees he has planted since the introduction of the initiative in 2021.

Clad in his golfing apparel matching a cap, the King planted an Ackee Apple tree after playing a round of golf at the park. He now has three trees planted at the venue which are all thriving quite well.

At the event were the Ashanti Regional Minister, Hon Simon Osei Mensah, the Chief Executive Officer of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), Sam Pyne, a Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon Benito Owusu-Bio and other dignitaries.

Each of them planted trees to contribute to the agenda.

Thanking His Majesty for endorsing the initiative and playing an active role in tree planting, Hon Owusu-Bio said: “When we called on you to launch the 2023 edition of the Green Ghana Day a few weeks ago, you graciously accepted the invitation despite your busy schedule and we are very grateful for your selflessness and commitment to ensure protection and sustainability of our natural resources.”

He also commended the King for his commitment to fighting illegal mining in the country.

He further urged persons who will engage in this year’s tree planting to make efforts to nurture the seedlings.

“As we plant the trees today, let us make a conscious effort to nurture them to maturity. In many instances, what we plant are neglected and not catered for and for this, it is very important that we nurture them to maturity,” he said while addressing the media.

In the past two years, Asantehene had been planting trees with his daughter and spoke about the welfare of the trees during the Launch of this year’s edition of the Green Ghana Day on May 17 at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).

“I’m doing it with her because I told her I will never sit under that tree but she will sit under the tree. For the past two years, she has done that with me so we have two trees each at the Golf Park which she has nurtured and I have also nurtured,” he said in his speech.

Lost Cover
It is estimated that within five years, that is, between 2010 and 2015, a total of 160,210 hectares of forest was lost compared to between 1963 and 2016, a period of 53 years where 157,300 hectares of forest was lost.

The monarch of the Asante Kingdom at the Launch in May recognised Ghana’s forest resources are under serious threat from a range of environmental threats including illegal mining, illegal logging, forest degradation and climate change.

He also underscored the significance of trees to the existence of mankind and couldn’t agree more with the 26th President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt, that “to exist as a country, to prosper as a state, live as a people, we must have trees”.

“It is our collective duty to see to their protection and advancement. That is why I fully support the Green Ghana Day intended to contribute to our lost forest cover and contribute to the fight against climate change to help achieve Goal 13 of Climate Action of United Nations Sustainable Development Goal,” he noted