President of Wassa Amenfi Traditional Council has revealed there is a plan to ensure that it becomes mandatory for every household in Wassa Akropong, in the Central Region, to plant trees.

According to Tetrete Okuamoah Sekyim II, this is part of a drive to sustain the national tree planting exercise.

Speaking to JoyNews' Mahmud Mohammed-Nurudeen, he said that he is concerned about the lack of trees in some homes in Wassa Akropong and surrounding areas.

He explained that he wants to see houses greener under his jurisdiction to complement government's efforts to green Ghana.

Okuamoah Sekyim II said that he would task chiefs in the area to ensure this goal is achieved.

"Nananom will have to meet very soon and make it mandatory. Each household should plant a tree in the house. We are going to have traditional council meeting and make it mandatory. We are going to impress upon them. If you go to some part of this area and walk about 5 blocks, there is no tree and this is not helping," he said.

Okuamoah Sekyim II added that the chiefs will also supervise and monitor trees planted on the national tree planting day to help alleviate the collective worry on the rate of forest destruction in the country.

"Some of the chief will go from area to area, where they will visit to see how the trees are doing. If we see any shortfall, we will quickly have to meet and take steps to remedy the situation," he said.

Only about 5% of the forest cover has been depleted in the Asankrangwa forest district.

District manager, Kofi Kyei commended the residents for their continued enthusiasm and support.

He said that "the attachment that they have for reserves here are so remarkable and that is the most contributory factor that's why we still have the forest reserves here intact."

The district planted 80,000 trees as part of the greening Ghana project.

Mr. Kyei and his team have therefore launched post-planting management to ensure all trees planted survive.

"What the post-planting management seeks to do is to guide all the trees planted so that they won't die. When you plant 100 trees not all of them will survive - we are aiming at survival rate between 95 and 100," Mr. Kyei added.

Assembly members, school authorities, and church leaders will also be monitoring the trees.

The presence of trees in towns and cities will help absorb pollutant gases like nitrogen oxide, ozone, carbon monoxide, and sweep particles like dust and smoke.