The Ghana Black Stars on Friday, joined the University of Cape Coast and the Forestry Commission to plant nearly 600,000 trees in the Central Region.

The stars have been camping in Cape Coast ahead of their international friendly against the elephants of Cote d’Ivoire at the Cape Coast Sports Stadium.

Led by their Coach C.K. Akunnor, the stars showed their support for the exercise by planting, at least, a tree each at the University of Cape Coast.

Central Regional Minister, Justina Marigold Assan, who led the exercise indicated her administration would partner the Forestry Commission to monitor the progress of the seedlings that have been planted.

Justina Marigold Assan, was extremely happy with the enthusiasm the exercise had received.

She indicated the Regional Coordinating Council would liaise with the Forestry Commission as well as other stakeholders to monitor the progress of the trees that have been planted.

 “I am extremely overwhelmed by the patronage. We shall do everything to sustain the exercise.”

The Green Ghana exercise in the Central Region started at the Central Regional Coordinating Council where some trees were planted.

The team then moved to the University of Cape Coast where the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Johnson Nyarko Boampong and members of the university community had prepared places where the trees would be planted.

The region planted 600,000 seedlings with the University of Cape Coast alone planting 80,000 of them.

Prof. Johnson Nyarko Boampong indicated the university had its plans already and had nursed seedlings that would grow into economic trees. More importantly, he indicated that the planting of trees was to ward off encroachers that were disturbing the university.

He stated, “We are not going to plant and leave them, we are going to plant and keep them so that the university would have very green environment that would support academic work.”

Deputy Director of Operations, Southern Ghana, of the Forestry Commission, Lydia Opoku, expressed optimism that measures put in place to follow up on all seedlings given out for people to plant, would yield results.

Cape Coast District Manager of the Forestry Commission, Cynthia Okai, says the commission would do well to sustain the energy that has accompanied the Green Ghana Project.

“This exercise coming to fruition is a happy moment for me. To see that everything we planned is on course gives me joy. There are plans in place to sustain the interest of people in greening Ghana,” she assured.