The Chief Executive of Forestry Commission, Mr. John Allotey, has mentioned that the Bono Region has more than enough tree seedlings for everyone in the Region to plant on Green Ghana Day (GGD), which is June 7. The tree seedlings he said, are made up of fruit, timber, ornamental and multi-purpose.
The Bono Region has a target of 700,000 tree seedlings but it has produced in excess of one million. Thus everyone in the Region who is willing to plant will have access to seedlings. He encouraged traditional authorities, youth groups, pupils and students to go for their tree seedlings on or before June 7, and plant, nurture and protect them to maturity as that would complete the process.
Mr Allotey made these known when he paid a courtesy call on the Bono Regional Minister, Hon. Justina Owusu-Banahene, to officially inform her about the activities outlined for the 2024 Edition of Green Ghana Day in the Region.
He was accompanied by the Deputy Chief Executive, Hon. Martha Kwayie Manu; Manager for Corporate Affairs & Media Relations, Mrs Joyce Ofori Kwaf; Bono Regional Manager for Forest Services Division (FSD), Mr. Augustine Gyedu, and staff of the Commission in the Region.
The Chief Executive further informed the Minister that the ceremonial planting for the Day would be held at the Liberation Barracks and preparations so far for the event are well advanced.
He also informed the Minster that the Forestry Commission and Tullow would execute an Emission Reduction Payment project, as part of the latter’s carbon offsets project and it would be executed in the Bono Region.
The highly elated Regional Minister mentioned that the Bono Region had always exceeded its target since the inception of GGD in 2021, and this year would not be an exception. She was full of praise for staff of Forestry Commission whom she described as “very responsive to her calls in the fight against illegalities in the Region”. She called on Forestry Commission to establish close collaborations with the district assemblies across the country to ensure that trees are not felled indiscriminately during road construction and other infrastructural developments.
Hon. Owusu-Banahene appealed to traditional authorities, educational institutions at all levels, religious bodies, among others, to be part of the 2024 Edition of GGD on June 7. She advised all who will plant on that day to own their trees and nurture them to maturity.
Prior to this engagement with the Regional Minister, the Chief Executive had met with staff of the Commission in the Region to check how prepared they are for the Green Ghana Day.
He admonished them to lead the way on Green Ghana Day by giving out seedlings to all who wish to plant, educate them on where, when and how to plant the tree seedlings. “In educating the public, tell them not to plant close to buildings as the roots of the trees may disturb the buildings and it may be cut down eventually.” He also advised staff to take the tree seedlings close to the people and place them at vantage points which would make accessibility easy.
Mr. Allotey expressed his deep appreciation to staff in the Bono Region for their utmost commitment to work in general and the GGD in particular, since its birth in 2021, and encouraged them to do even better this year.
The Manager for Forest Services Division, Bono Region, Mr. Augustine Gyedu, appreciated the Chief Executive’s commendation and assured him of their best performance to exceed the Region’s target once again this year.
The Chief Executive also interacted with National Service personnel in the office and appreciated them for their help in preparations towards the GGD 2024, after which he inspected the Region’s central seedling nursery, where seedlings were being carted to the various district offices for onward distribution to the public.
Ceremonial Planting To Be Held At Liberation Baracks
The Chief Executive and his team called on the Commanding Officer of the Armour Training School of the Liberation Barracks, Lt Col. Issah. He expressed his appreciation to the leadership of the Barracks for giving them the go ahead to hold the ceremonial planting for the GGD at their premises. He informed them that “Coincidentally, the Ceremonial Presidential Planting for the GGD would be held at the Burma Camp in Accra”. That he said, attested to the strong long standing relationship between the Forestry Commission and the Ghana Army. Also, the Commission trains its front -line staff at the Military Training School at Asutuare.
Receiving the Chief Executive and his delegation, Lt. Col. Issah confirmed the readiness of his outfit for the GGD. “Pegging has been done and the holes would be dug soon. We will plant together with our families on Friday, June 7”, he assured.
The Chief Executive and his team inspected a 6-hectare land which was planted during the 2021 GGD.
A Meeting With The Queen Of Sunyani
Mr Allotey and his entourage paid a courtesy visit to the Queen of Sunyani, Nana Akosua Dua Asor Sika Brayie II. He informed the Queen that the GGD has been slated for June 7 and that the ceremonial planting would be held at the Liberation Barracks. He used the occasion to officially invite the Queen to be a part of the great event.
He appealed to the Queen to add her voice to the call for people in the Region to come out in their numbers to plant on June 7, which is Green Ghana Day.
The Chief Executive further informed the Queen that” The Bono Regional Office of the Forest Services Division had produced seedlings in excess of one million so there would be enough seedlings, made up of fruit, ornamental, multi -purpose and timber, for all and sundry to plant on GGD”.
Nana Brayie II in welcoming her guests, mentioned that she was grateful to the Chief Executive for calling on her and mentioned that trees are an integral part of everybody’s life and it should not be felled indiscriminately. She admonished all to join the GGD activities and assured that she would join in publicising the GGD and advised that trees be planted in avenues and medians to beautify the city.
Donation of Cages for GGD
In a highly related development, Messrs Oti Yeboah Complex has donated a large quantity of wooden cages to the Bono Regional Office of FSD. That was their widow’s mite towards the GGD, to help protect the tree seedlings that would be planted.
Receiving the cages on behalf of the Office, Mr. John Allotey thanked the Company for the donation and other ones that the Complex had made in the past years, and mentioned that protection of the tree seedlings was an integral part of the nurturing process .
He appealed to other corporate bodies in the Region to support the GGGD as every contribution is highly valued.
