Speaker urges citizens to participate in tree planting exercise

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has urged citizens to actively participate in the ongoing Green Ghana tree planting exercise across the country.

He said they must also strive to be custodians of the trees they planted to secure a greener and brighter future for generations to come, adding “visit them and nurture them regularly as 
the trees grow into majestic symbols of hope, resilience, and sustainable development”.

The speaker, who was speaking after leading legislators and staff of Parliament to plant trees in Accra yesterday, said “planting trees is not merely an ecological gesture, it is a profound act of love and responsibility towards our nation and health”.

Yesterday’s event was on the theme: "Our forests, our health".

In all, 300 species of trees were planted, bringing the number of trees planted by Parliament between 2022 and 2023 to 700.

The Second Deputy Speaker, Andrew Asiamah Amoako; the Deputy Minority Leader, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah; the acting Clerk to Parliament, Ebenezer Djietror, were among those who planted the trees.

Others were the MP for Oforikrom, Dr Emmanuel Marfo, who planted a tree on behalf of the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, while the acting Greater Accra Regional Manager of the Forestry Commission (FC), George Agbenowoshi, also planted a tree on behalf of the commission.

Significance

The Speaker also underscored the critical need to preserve forests and vegetation for the well-being of humanity.

He described forests as the lush lungs of the planet which played an irreplaceable role in mitigating the impact of climate change. 

“They act as natural carbon sinks, absorbing carbon dioxide and replenishing our atmosphere with oxygen to ensure that the air we breathe remains pure and invigorating. 

“It is important that we recognise the immense value of these ecosystems and take proactive measures to restore and conserve them,” Mr Bagbin added.

He also said trees purified the air people breathed, filtered harmful particles and pollutants and ensure the well-being of citizens, especially those in urban areas where air pollution was high. 

Role of Parliament

The Speaker further said Parliament had a role in enacting legislation to safeguard both livelihoods and the environment. 

He said the Forest Protection (Amendment) Act of 2002, Act 264 was a pillar in safeguarding the environment and promoting sustainable forestry practices. 

Mr Bagbin expressed worry that the country had experienced significant decline in its forest cover over the years, saying Ghana now ranked among the tropical nations with the highest percentage of deforestation. 

From a staggering 8.2 million hectares of forest cover in 1900, it had dwindled to a mere 1.6 million hectares. 

“This distressing trend highlights the environmental degradation caused by various factors, including informal small-scale gold mining and uncontrolled tree felling without the commensurate reforestation efforts, he said.

The acting Greater Accra Regional Manager of the FC, Mr Agbenowoshi, also said the tree planting exercise was aimed at creating awareness of the importance of forests in enhancing biodiversity. 

For his part, Mr Djietror commended the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources for the initiative which, he said, had the support of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the Speaker of Parliament to restore depleted forest reserves nationwide.