The University of Cape Coast has commenced the planting of 80 thousand seedlings of economic and non-economic trees as part of the vision of the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Johnson Nyarko Boampong to promote a green University of Cape Coast.
The tree planting exercise which took place on the University’s campus is also in line with Government’s Green Ghana project which aimed at planting 5 million trees in Ghana to restore the country’s forest cover.
The Vice Chancellor in an address at the exercise applauded the government’s Green Ghana Project and stated that it will improve the country’s vegetation cover to deal with climate change and its adverse effects.
“With the planting of 5 million trees by the government, the government understands and knows very well that our survival depends on the vegetation cover and that without it, we are going to experience adverse environmental effects,” he said.
While expressing gratitude to the Forestry Commission for supporting the University with thirty thousand seedlings to aid in the tree planting exercise, Prof. Nyarko Boampong also noted that a greener UCC will provide a healthy environment for academic work.
“We are not going to plant the trees and leave them but we are going to keep them so that the University will have a very green environment that supports teaching and learning.”
The Deputy Director of Operations for the Forestry Commission in the Southern Sector, Madam Lydia Opoku on her part called on Ghanaians to also make it a point to plant some of the trees in their homes.
According to her, the Forestry Commission is willing to support anyone who is ready to do that.
“We plead with the public to also plant some of the trees on their individual compounds. They can plant trees like mango, orange, coconut, among others. We are currently giving out the seedlings of such trees for planting.”
The Central Regional Minister, Mrs. Justina Marigold Assan who also took part in the exercise advocated for the tree planting exercise to be extended to areas where galamsey has destroyed their vegetation cover.
She indicated that if this is done, it will go a long way to restore the lands that have been degraded by illegal mining activities.
“If we take the Green Ghana project to galamsey affected areas it will be really good. It will help restore depleted lands.”
She added that in order to ensure the project is sustained the Central Region with the help of the Forestry Commission will often embark on the tree planting exercise.
“The Central Region will collaborate with the Forestry Commission so that from time to time with the help of both the Metropolitan and Municipal Assemblies we will continue to plant trees so that the Green Ghana Project will become sustainable.”
Mrs. Assan went on to call the inhabitants of the Central Region to as part of greening the Region, help promote the sanitation situation in the region so that more tourists will be attracted.
Management of the University of Cape Coast, staff and students of the University, the Black Stars of Ghana also took part in the exercise.
Source: ATLFMNEWSROOM / Rosemond Asmah
