Mr Michael Kwakuga Fianu, Assistant District Manager for Sogakope-Denu Forest District of the Forestry Commission (FC) has expressed satisfaction with the survival rate of trees planted last year.
He said 84.5 percent of the trees planted during the maiden Green Ghana Project in 2021 survived and were growing well.
Mr Fianu disclosed this to the Ghana News Agency on Friday when his outfit led the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Heads of Departments in Ketu South and the Police to plant seedlings to mark the Green Ghana Day.
The day saw the team planting royal palm seedlings at the premises of the Municipal Assembly.
Royal palm and mango seedlings were planted at the premises of the Ketu Divisional Police Headquarters.
The FC official hoped for a better survival planted seedlings for this year, 2022.
Mr Fianu said: “We’re looking at planting 39,000-41,000 seedlings including cassia and acacia this year in Ketu South. We’re pleased with the survival rate of the trees planted last year, but with my outfit’s determination to grow and tender for them coupled with good climatic conditions, survival rate for this year’s will be better.”
Mr Fianu disclosed that there were enough seedlings at the central nursery at Denu for distribution to stakeholders including Assembly members from all the six political districts the office serves.
He singled out the Church of Pentecost as the group that had shown keen interest in the Green Ghana Project and called on others to join so the objective of the project, under the auspices of Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to preserve and protect the country’s forest and vegetation cover for a balanced ecology could be realised.
Mr Maxwell Koffie Lugudor, MCE for Ketu South said the Assembly would play its part in nurturing the plants to grow by detailing personnel who would go round the Municipality weekly to monitor saying, they could not afford the harmful effects of climate change.
“We just marked the day today. Every weekend, we’ll be going round to plant more seedlings.
“Today’s ceremony was scheduled for Salakope island but because of the rains, we couldn’t go. We’ll go back there for the tree planting. We also have some 30 acres of reclaimed land in the Nogokpo areas where we intend to plant cassia, cashew and coconut seedlings.”
By Ewoenam Kpodo, GNA