Deputy CEO of Forestry Commission Mobbed at Tree Planting Exercise

Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Forestry Commission (FC), Martha Kwayie Manu, was the toast of the people during the Greening Ghana Tree Planting Exercise that she officiated at Sefwi Wiawso and Juaboso on Friday June 11, 2021.

In the process, participants at the Wiawso exercise did not only scramble for seedlings to plant, but also scrambled to take pictures with the ever-smiling affable deputy CEO. The situation was not different at Juaboso, where she was virtually held “captive” by her teaming ardent admirers even after the programme.

At the St. Joseph Senior High School (SHS) at Datano where the programme was held for the Wiawso Municipal, a number of dignitaries were in attendance. They included the Omanhene of the Sefwi Wiawso Traditional Area, Katakyie Bumangamah II, who also doubles as member of the Council of State, the western North Regional Minister Richard Obeng, the Regional Manager of Forestry Service Division Thomas Ochere, District Manager, Obeng Boamah, Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE) Louis Owusu Acheampong, NADMO and National Identification Authority (NIA), Police Officers, the Directors of Education, the Clergy and of course, the Headmistress, Josephine Love Apprey, Staff and Students of the School.

In his welcome address, Mr. Ochere expressed happiness at the choice of the venue for the commenmorative and climax of the programme He pointed out that Government had committed much money into the programme. Therefore, it behooves on all to get involved and equally committed to the programme to ensure its success.

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Let’s Restore the Environment for Posterity

Taking her turn to address participants Mad. Kwayie stated that the president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo had observed that Ghana is not in normal times because of climate change resulting from the destruction of the environment. She mentioned that the president had indicated that since man’s life on earth depended on the environment, they had to restore the degraded environment for posterity hence this programme. Subsequently, on March 21, 2021 Government launched the programme and declared June 11^th 2021 as the take-off day for the planting of trees in restoring the degraded environment.

The CEO stated that government attaches much interest and importance to this programme. That is why he is enjoining everybody to it since “if the last tree dies, the last men dies” as the saying goes.

Hon. Martha Kwayie who happened to be the immediate past District Chief Executive (DCE) for Juaboso opined that since we should not look on haplessly for the last tree to die, for the last man to die, Nana Akufo Addo’s government dad rolled out this programme with the theme “Green Ghana. Let’s go planting 5000 trees in a year” as a yearly affair to help restore, maintain and sustain the environment for both the current and future and even the unborn generations.

Grow, Nurture, Maintain Lable, Trees – Omanhene to Students

The Omanhene (Paramount chief) of the Sefwi Wiawso Traditional Area in the Western North Region (WNR) Katayie Bumangamah II, who graced the occasion urged students to grow, nature, maintain and lable trees as their contribution to the Nana Akufo-Addo-led NPP government’s efforts in restoring the degraded Ghanaian environment. By this, they can point to such trees with pride as their contribution to the Green Ghana Policy.

Describing the government’s policy as great, he mentioned the importance of trees to the community while bemoaming their (trees) losses via the destruction of the environment through various human activities, including the obnoxious “Galamsey” canker. He subsequently charged the students, especially those of the St. Joseph Catholic Senior High School (SHS), venue of the programme to report all who destroy the environment to the authorities – police, Nananom, etc. for prompt action to be taken.

Katakyi Bumangamah pointed out that politicians have now recognized the importance of Nananom, hence involving them in such programmes and expressed their readiness to assist accordingly.

Sefwi Has History and Grace in Forestry

The Omanhene stated that Sefwi does not only have history but also has grace and pride in forestry. Therefore government’s efforts in restoring the degraded environment are most welcome. It is against this background that he was calling on students in particular to get involved in the “Green Ghana” programme initiated by Nana Akufo-Addo’s administration.

Katayie was quick to point out that in 1932, the Omanhene then gave out large, hectares of land to the colonial rulers for the reservation of forests as Forest Reserves. Sadly enough, this did not go down well with the people, thus leading to his destoolment, nonetheless all this while, forest reserves have played vital roles in the lives of the people, until their recent wanton destruction by saboteurs. This is why he was calling on all for their involvement in the restoration of the environment. He suggests that government declares every 11^th June as Tree planting day. This sentinent was shared by Regional Forestry Manager, Thomas Ochere. Deputy FC CEO, Martha Kwayie on the other hand indicated that, that has been government’s plan and visions in his respect.

The regional Minister, while lauding the programme, pointed out that the people were blessed for the personalities at the venue including the landlord Katakyie Bumangamah. He indicated that his target was students. Who would benefit most from tree as they benefit from their products of wood for tables and chairs for them (students). He emphasized that the government’s policy of one student one chair, is attributable to trees, hence the need to restore and preserve trees, without which man’s life is endangered.

By S.O Ankamah, Sefwi Wiawso, WN/R