The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abdulai Jinapor has stated that planting five million trees is a big investment into the country's forestry sector.

“As part of the programme, we are seeking to work out a formula where the trees to be planted will be economic trees. We are talking about the Timber, Wawa, Nim, Rosewood, Shea trees. The rationale for this intervention is so that in planting the trees, we are also making an investment for the future.

“For instance, the time it takes for timber to mature is a long time and now we do not have enough economic trees which can contribute to the national developmental agenda and so part of it also is to ensure that we have economic trees," he said.

According to him, as it stands now, the country lacks economic trees which can aid the sustainable development of the country, hence the need for all and sundry to participate in the agenda.

Mr Jinapor said this in an address to the media, Wednesday, June 9 to announce the planting of trees as part of the Green Ghana project. Green Ghana is an initiative that aims at planting five million trees in a single day across the country. The tree planting exercise is slated for Friday, June 11, 2021.

He stated that on the day of planting, individuals must plant to help the purpose of the exercise.

In addition, the Lands and Natural Resources Minister noted that his outfit will set up a monitoring and evaluation team to surveil the progress of the trees after the planting exercise.

"On a quarterly arrangement and eventually at the end of the year on the first anniversary of the 2021 Green Ghana Day, we will take stock as to how we have fared and there will be a comprehensive report delivered to Ghanaians as to how many of the trees survived and how many are at what stage of development etc.

"This is not going to be the usual thing. We plant the trees and walk away, we will plant the trees, nurse, nurture them and monitor in a very scientific way and methodical way to ensure that we see to the progress of these trees," he said.

Earlier in June, 2021, President Akufo-Addo called on Ghanaians to plant more trees to preserve the country’s forest cover and the environment.

The President stressed that “We cannot sit by and watch as our trees, flora and fauna are wiped out. Our very existence is tied directly to the survival of trees. Without the oxygen produced by trees, we cannot survive as humans.

“Lend your support to the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources as it executes this ambitious national assignment. I will be planting a tree and I expect you too to plant one. Let us make Ghana green.