The GrEEn project is planting 2,000 trees in Ashanti and Western regions to mitigate climate change.

The project also aims to help restore the lost forest cover at Sekyere Afram Plains and Wassa Amenfi East Districts after bushfires, illegal logging and mining destroyed most of the trees planted last year.

The Green Ghana initiative is promoting voluntary tree planting among Ghanaians, but some districts in the Ashanti and Western regions have challenges in protecting and nurturing the trees.

The development affects the objective of the tree planting initiative.

The European Union, SOS-GrEEn, UNDCF and SNV are supporting the government’s tree planting agenda at Drobonso in the Sekyere Afram Plains and Nsuaem in the Wassa Amenfi East district with 2,000 seedlings.

Ashanti regional community development officer, UNCDF, Nathan Asamoah explains that, “We chose Drobonso because of the topography, because of the adverse effect of climate change and we’re committed to curtail some of this menace.

“Last year we planted about 1,000 varieties of seedlings at Drobonso and we’re planting again after leaders demanded we plant more trees again to reduce the effect of climate change,” he said. 

About 120 cash-for-work participants in the Ashanti region were sensitised on tree sustainability.

According to project coordinator, SOS-GrEEn, Shaibu Fuseini, “Participants who nurture their seedlings properly will be awarded because of concerns of sustainability. We are going to have GrEEn ambassadors to advocate the sustainability of the green agenda”.

The district assembly says it will adopt measures to protect trees.

“This year, we will assign trees to individuals, especially the cash for work beneficiaries of SOS-GrEEn project  to take care of the trees,” Deputy Director at Sekyere Afram Plains, Nana Okrah Debrah said.

The district also faces the challenge of Illegal logging.

The Drobonsohene, Nana Dwamena Dankwa Dwobesiew, lauded the partner agencies for promoting reforestation in the Sekyere Afram Plains district, saying “We want the planting of trees sustained but we have to protect the trees because we’ll all benefit from it.”