The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly in collaboration with Forest Research Institute of Ghana (FORIG) and Friends of Rivers and Water Bodies is planting over 1000 trees.

City authorities initiated the project under which the trees are expected to be planted and nurtured across the metropolis.

It is geared towards restoring the Ashanti Regional capital to its glorious past as the ‘Garden City of West Africa’.

The project is being supported by the Forest Research Institute of Ghana, Ghana Education Service and environmental NGO, Friends of Rivers and Water Bodies.

The project, dubbed ‘Green and Clean’, is part of Kumasi Urban Forestry Project.

Schools will be mobilized to spearhead implementation.

The pilot has already begun at Atasomanso, where over one thousand trees were planted last week and continued at Atonsu, Gyenyase and its environs where over two thousand trees were also planted.

Metropolitan Chief Executive, Osei Asibey- Antwi said: “We are involving all the sub-metros. For the project to sustain. we are involving owners of the various households to own the trees. We are just planting but it belongs to them and the general public at large.”

According to him, the project will restore Kumasi's lost glory as the Garden City of West Africa.

“Our major focus is to restore Kumasi’s Garden city status we intend to green the city and ensure its sustainability, thus the project name; green and clean,” he said.

Co-ordinator for Urban Forestry, Bano Duodu, wants the KMA to back the exercise with legislation that will  compel residents to the cause.