As part of the Green Ghana Project, the University of Cape Coast has commenced the planting of 1.5 million trees in a bid to replenish the nation’s vegetative Cover.
This exercise is part of the Vice- Chancellor, Prof. Johnson Nyarko Boampong’s vision to promote a greener University of Cape Coast and the exercise forms part of the activities scheduled to commemorate the university’s 60th anniversary in October, 2022.
The tree planting exercise which took place on the university’s campus saw the planting of 60 thousand tree seedlings on a 60-hectare land.
Last year, the Green Ghana initiative resulted in the planting of about 5 million trees around the country, with UCC successfully planting 40 thousand trees.
Addressing participants during the exercise, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Johnson Nyarko Boampong expressed satisfaction with the progress the university has made since its decision to begin the exercise, noting that trees planted last year had grown and were flourishing.
He said, “we have never stopped nurturing the seedlings planted. last year we cleared about 50 acre of land and we planted about 30, 000 seedlings and you can see that all those seedlings planted have grown and since then, we have been weeding and planting.”
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Prof. Nyarko Boampong further stressed that tree planting remained a priority to the university and appealed to all to continually plant trees.
“We need the plants because it absolves carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to reduce global warming and also it replenishes the atmosphere with oxygen especially during the night,” he stated.
On his part, the paramount chief of Oguaa Traditional Area, Osabarima Kwesi Atta II stated that trees play an important role in human live because “when the last tree dies, we all die and this exercise is to keep all of us alive because God in his own wisdom put human beings, trees, rivers all in one place to complement each other to sustain our lives so when one of these elements is no more it means we are cutting short our own lives”.
While expressing his displeasure with the fact that such exercise were only held for a brief duration, he recommended that, the exercise should be repeated on a regular basis in order to attain the aim of a greener Ghana.
“I have a problem with this once a while tree planting. This exercise must be done periodically, maybe every month we should plant trees… And if it is done every month, however small it is, it will help the trees to grow around us,” he intimated.
The Central Regional Manager for the Forestry Commission, Mr. Michael Penstil indicated that as a result of the region’s success in the exercise last year, the targets were increased this year in order to ensure that more trees are planted in the region.
“I think we may be a victim of our success because ones you exceed your targets it is then set us your new target. On average we made 80% success and is according to a survey conducted by the national security,” he said.
The Deputy Director of Operations at the Forestry Commission, Lydia Opoku also stated that her outfit has over the years carried out its mandate of instilling the habit of tree planting in society, and that clubs had been established at various basic schools to instill the habit of tree planting into younger generations.
SOURCE: EMMANUELLA AMA GYAMFI/DORCAS AKPAKUDI
