AngloGold Ashanti (AGA) Obuasi Mine is committed to planting 2,000 trees this year in schools and communities within the mine’s catchment to support government’s Green Ghana Initiative.

Senior Manager-Sustainability, Emmanuel Baidoo who announced this said the mining firm will undertake the tree planting exercise in collaboration with AGA Malaria Control and other stakeholders in the communities the mine operates.

"This year, we are aiming at even planting 2000 trees. We would ensure that the trees we have planted are well nurtured which will end up being developed to contribute to the biodiversity that we all anticipate".

According to him, government’s Green Ghana Initiative is aligned with AGAG's overall objective adding the mine’s quest to plant trees is a pledge to commit and invest in interventions that protect the environment.

“As a mine, we have a comprehensive Environment Management Plan part of which is to ensure that they implement a robust reclamation program to restore the land they have disturbed to its original state”.

The Obuasi Mine, as part of corporate social responsibility, is implementing the Climate Resilient Oil Palm Project (CROPP) which targets 2000 hectares of land in five years, to plant agroforestry trees.

According to Mr Baidoo, the objective of the CROP Project is to ensure disturbed lands due to the mining activities are reclaimed and used for economic purposes by planting oil palms and other cash crops.

"This is a commitment we are implementing together with our stakeholders including the Solidaridad West Africa, Department of Agriculture and Traditional Authorities. We are working to leave a sound environmental legacy."

Henry Yeboah, the Supervisor of the Obuasi office of the Forestry Commission said due to the successful implementation of the program last year, government increased the seedlings from five million to 20 million.

According to him, trees planted in Obuasi in 2021 have a 70% survival rate.