A total of 600,000 seedlings are expected to be planted across the Upper East Region as part of the 10,000,000 tree seedlings targeted for planting nationwide in the Green Ghana project.
Speaking at a well-attended function which brought four Paramount Chiefs in the Region together, including the President of the Regional House of Chiefs, the Regional Minister, Hon. Stephen Yakubu said the purpose of the initiative was to tackle the long drought and desertification caused by climate change with its associated challenges.
The programme was on the theme: “Our Forest, Our Health.”
He said the forest was a repository of tree species which could be used for treatment of several ailments and as a source to generate income.
“Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, therefore, let me use this opportunity to appeal to, especially our revered traditional authorities to lead the crusade against the indiscriminate bush burning which is a bane hindering the development of the Northern Region,” he said.
The Regional Minister urged Municipal and District Assemblies to re-activate their anti-bush fire squads to ensure that they brought to the barest minimum the incident of bush fires.
He said the Green Ghana project conceived by President Akufo-Addo was a laudable policy and that it behoved on citizens to ensure its objective was met.
The Deputy Chief Executive of the Forestry Commission, Mr. Nyadia Sulemana Nelson, said in the first year of the project implementation, a target of five million seedlings were set but at the end of the exercise, over seven million seedlings were confirmed to be planted across the country.
He said the success story necessitated an upward review of the target to 20 million in 2022 and over 24 million tree seedlings were planted after a critical assessment, with 70 per cent achievement.