It was all ecstasy and fanfare when Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Forestry Commission (FC), Martha Kwayie Manu, stormed her native town Juaboso to launch the government’s greening Ghana project via a tree planting policy on Friday, June 11, 2021.
The exercise brought people from all walks of life to the Juaboso Senior High School (JUASEC) – venue for the programme. It was so successful as the people were more than elated to see their own Martha Kwayie at the helm of affairs.
Being the immediate-past District Chief Executive (DCE) for Juaboso, Martha commands a lot of support and respect from the people, following her affability and high sense of hardwork she exhibited while in office as DCE. At the end of the programme, she was not only mobbed by the people, but virtually held captive as they scrambled for tree seedlings to plant. In all, over 400,000 trees were planted that day in the four adjoining districts – Bodi, Juaboso, Bia East & West, with each planting 100,000 each. Comprising varies species of both local and foreign trees, they also included fruits, notably coconut.
The Chief of Juaboso Nana Ehwi Armah II and his elders were in attendance. Also present were officers from the Juaboso Forestry Department, Police Officers, Teachers of the School and students. Sample trees were planted by officials present, including the Chief and Deputy Chief Executive of the Forestry Commission, Martha Kwayie, who happened to be the officiating officer for the programme.
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LET’S RESTORE LOST FORESTS
Martha Kwayie urged the people to endeavour to get actively involved in the exercise in order to restore the lost forest in the area in particular and the country in general.
She indicated that previously, their parents, who were farmers in the area, could predict the weather to facilitate their farming business. However, because of the degradation of the environment through human activities, forests in the area have been devastated and the entire environment degraded. This, she noted had, brought about climate change and irregular patterns in rainfall, thus affecting farming activities.
She pointed out that it was against this background that the President, through the Minister for Lands and Mineral Resources, John Jinapor had launched this programme to help restore the lost forest cover. She subsequently charged all to endeavour to ensure that the trees they planted, were nurtured to maturity.
Nana Ahwi Armah noted that formerly, they could scarcely hear of the ripping off of roofings of buildings during heavy down pours, those days. Nana pointed out that, these days, because of the degradation of the environment, the slightest downfall amidst little wind blow causes damage to roof of buildings. It was against this background that all should endure themselves to this tree planting initiative of government to help restore the lost forest cover and thereby avoid the inconveniences associated with rain falls of late.
Mr. Yaw Boateng Asante, Assistant District Manager, Forestry Service Division described the exercise and the response of the people, coupled with the scrambling of seedlings to plant as simply overwhelming. He opines that the number of seedlings for planting will increase in subsequent programmes.
By S. O. Ankamah, Juaboso, WNR