Ghana's grand Mufti Sheikh Usman Nuhu Sharubutu has declared himself a champion and number one crusader of government's push to plant five million trees in a single day come June 11.

Sheikh Usman Nuhu Sharubutu has therefore appealed to the general population, Muslims and non-Muslims alike to embrace government's environmentally friendly project of planting five million trees come June 11.

He made the declaration when the Chief Executive officer of the Forestry Commission John Allotey and his team called on him at his Fadama residence to solicit for his support for the upcoming project.

Addressing the delegation, the National Chief Imam said, "I am very happy and excited about the mission to plant trees and I fully support the idea. I, therefore, entreat the citizenry, Muslims and non-Muslims alike to support the initiative".

He went on to declare that "I am the first to support the idea of planting trees across the sixteen regions of the country".

Government as part of the intervention to cut back on the level of deforestation and degradation of the country's forest has in the interim instructed the Forestry Commission not to issue forest entry permits for mining purposes except in exceptional instances.

In all, some five million trees are expected to be planted across the country; with president Akufo Addo expected to plant the first symbolic tree on June 11.

In an interview with Joy News Latif Iddrisu, the Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Commission John Allotey said the cost of the about six million seedlings that will be distributed across Ghana for the exercise is not immediately known.

He explains, Forestry Commission staff will supply a number with support from private individuals who have been contracted to provide some of the seedlings for the national exercise.