The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, has urged Ghanaians to focus not only on planting trees but also on protecting and nurturing them, stressing that long-term care is what truly matters.

Speaking at the International Day of Forests on Thursday, March 19, at the Achimota Forest, the Minister placed strong emphasis on sustainability in tree planting.

“We must do more than plant. We must nurture because, as we know, a seedling is a promise and a mature tree is a legacy,” he said.

Mr Buah explained that the government’s Tree for Life Initiative is designed not just as an environmental programme, but as a long-term economic strategy.

“The Tree for Life initiative is our domestic engine for this global effort, transforming reforestation into a viable economic pathway for our youth and rural populations,” he stated.

According to him, restoring degraded lands will create both environmental and financial benefits for the country.

“By restoring our degraded lands, we are creating a green asset base that can generate carbon credits, attract green investment, and create high-value jobs, while cleaning our air and regulating our climate,” he said.

Highlighting progress so far, the Minister said the 2025 target has already been achieved.

“Against a target of 30 million seedlings, we successfully distributed and planted over 30 million seedlings. More importantly, this was a people-powered achievement that created over 41,000 green jobs,” he said.

The Minister said the government is maintaining the same level of ambition for 2026.

“For 2026, we are setting our sights just as high with another target of 30 million seedlings,” he said.

However, he warned that planting alone is not enough, pointing to ongoing threats such as bushfires, illegal logging, and illegal mining.

“We must protect these young trees from bush fires, illegal logging, and encroachment of activities like illegal mining, which we are tackling head-on with our forestry guards in collaboration with the security services,” he said.

The Minister called on all sections of society to play their part in protecting Ghana’s forests.

“To our traditional leaders, we look forward to your continued stewardship over community lands and sacred groves. To the private sector, we challenge you to see sustainability not as a cost but as a strategic investment for your long-term future,” he said.

He also appealed to civil society to help deepen awareness and ensure accountability.

“To our civil society, we ask for your partnership in deepening awareness and holding us all accountable,” he added.

Mr Buah said that protecting forests is critical not only for the environment but also for the country’s future.

“As we plant these saplings today, we are making a strategic economic investment. He who protects the forest protects the nation’s future and anchors its entire economy.”

“Let us remember that a nation that destroys its forests destroys itself. Our forests are the lungs of our land, purifying the air we breathe and giving fresh strength to our people,” he added.