Ghana Green Day: Parliament suspends sitting today for MPs to join tree planting exercise

275 Members of Parliament are expected to lead tree planting efforts across their constituencies as part of the ‘Green Ghana Day’ today, [Friday], June 11, 2021.

To this end, Parliament has put on hold almost all of its activities to allow MPs to partake in the event.

The government intends to plant five million trees today to kick-start a campaign under its Green Ghana Project.

Ghanaians would be mobilised to plant trees on the day and nurture them to maturity as a way of contributing to the preservation of the environment.

Encouraging MPs to take part in the exercise, the Speaker of Parliament also indicated that the house will foot all transportation bills associated with their movement for the exercise.

“The clerk to Parliament is hereby directed to provide the cost of travel in and out for Members of Parliament to participate in the exercise. I want to on behalf of Parliament and on our part pledge support for the Green Ghana Day.”

Join exercise 

Ahead of the commencement of the project, the Lands and Natural Resources Minister, Samuel Abu Jinapor, has also urged Ghanaians to partake in the exercise.

The exercise would commence with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumama Bagbin, and some chiefs planting trees.

This ambitious project will see a concerted and collaborative effort to plant over 5 million trees across the country to preserve the environment and salvage Ghana’s depleted tree cover.

If implemented, it means Ghana will regain one-third of the over 1.31 million-hectares of lost forest reserves.

Mr. Samuel Abu Jinapor encouraged all and sundry to be part of the exercise to help Ghana recuperate its depleted tree cover.

“I encourage each and every one of you to join hands with the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources as we go planting five million trees across the country. It is said that when the last tree dies, the last man also dies. One way of fighting climate change is to plant trees which will go a long way to help future generations.”

“The Ministry will make seedlings available at the various Forestry Commission district offices across the country.”

Meanwhile, some environmental NGOs are calling for a holistic approach to the implementation of the Green Ghana Project.

They also want the government to institutionalise the project.