The Upper East Regional Minister, Stephen Yakubu has reiterated the importance of rejuvenating the forest cover in Ghana.
Ghana is said to be racing against time to win the war against climate change and food security, following a revelation that in the last 10 years, the country has lost 100,000 acres of forest cover.
The development is said to be responsible for the collapse of the timber industry, which has resulted in the loss of thousands of jobs.
This came to light when the President, Nana Akufo-Addo delivered his speech at a ceremony to mark this year’s Green Ghana day in Accra. President Akufo-Addo noted that the trend, if not halted, could increase food challenges in the country and affect the natural forest cover.
Speaking at the launch of the Upper East Regional Green Ghana Campaign, the Upper East Regional Minister affirmed the President’s call. He said the effects of the loss of the forest cover would continue to be unbearable until deliberate steps are taken to address the situation.
“The fast-approaching desert from the Sahel; long periods of draughts; excessive heat, drastic, changes in the rainfall patterns as a result of climate change among others. These factors underscore the need for all stakeholders to embrace this initiative and accord it the critical attention it deserves.”
“The significance of rejuvenating the forest cover is wide and varied, and ranges from economic, social, health and cultural considerations,” he said.
Mr. Yakubu went on to suggest that considering the rising costs of LPG, deliberately planted woodlots could serve as an alternative fuel source.
“In the era of high cost of LPG, the need to plant woodlots to serve as an alternative fuel cannot be underestimated. Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, this year’s green Ghana day is being marked under the theme Mobilizing for a Greener Future which is targeting twenty (20) million trees out of which Six Hundred and Fifty Thousand (650,000) have been allocated to the Upper East Region. The theme is very appropriate and resonates very well with our situation as a region,” he said.
The President of Ghana, H. E Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo launched the 2022 Edition of Green Ghana Day, at the Accra International Conference Centre. The theme for this year’s exercise is “Mobilizing for a Greener Future” and it is scheduled for June 10, 2022.
The President in his keynote address said that forests continue to be one of Ghana’s most important resources but regrettably there is a substantial decline in the country’s forest cover.
The President, therefore, called for concerted efforts to combat this menace. The Green Ghana Initiative seeks to create a collective action towards the restoration of degraded landscapes in the country, mitigate climate change and inculcate in the youth the values of planting and nurturing trees and their associated benefits, he continued.
Samuel A. Jinapor, Minister for Lands and Natural Resources in his statement, thanked the President and Ghanaians for their support for Green Ghana as the planting target of 5 million trees was exceeded by 2 million.
The Minister said that efforts at restoring Ghana’s forests in the past had not been effective and forceful, hence, the Green Ghana Project which was to drive efforts towards an aggressive afforestation programme to restore the lost forest cover of Ghana which contributes to the global efforts to fight climate change.
Source: A1radioonline.com|101.1MHz|Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith|Ghana
