Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori Atta, has led the Ministry and its agencies to plant tree seedlings at the forecourt of the Ministry to commemorate the national flagship ‘Green Ghana Project’.
The Ministry, as part of the ceremony, distributed 150 tree seedlings to staff to plant in their communities and homes with the aim of creating a healthier and cooler micro climate and improving the nation’s air quality and to positively impact the hydrological cycle.
This year, government is targeting the planting of 20 million tree seedlings under the theme, ‘Mobilising for Greener Future’, is expected to enhance national awareness of the necessity of collective action towards restoration of degraded lands in the country to mitigate climate change and to beautify communities.
Last year, the Finance Ministry planted seven trees, among which the Minister revealed that five of them are doing well. “This is why the Ministry of Finance has made available 150 tree seedlings for staff to take home and plant to ensure a green Ghana to check erosion, shelter, save water bodies and flood control among other key benefits,” the Minister said.
The agenda is also part of government’s plan for an aggressive national afforestation programme and to contribute to the global efforts to mitigate climate change.
This agenda by government, according to the Minister, is absolutely supported by the Ministry.
He reminded the staff that trees need about 15 gallons of water a week to survive, stressing that there is the need to put efforts to preserve all trees planted under this initiative to enhance value for money. “The agenda of greening Ghana is one remarkable step to support the agenda of curbing deforestation and environmental pollution,” he said.
In West Africa and particularly in Ghana, rainfall has become erratic, sea level rising and changing hydro dynamics along the coast of West Africa have led to an increased coastal erosion.
As a result, weather and climate extremes have increased in frequency and magnitude – triggering floods and heatwaves that caused human losses, damages to public and private assets and disruptions of economic activities.
Nevertheless, information from Lands Ministry indicates that Ghana has an 85 percent survival rate of the trees planted nationwide in 2021, exuding hope that, the agenda is yielding fruits for a long term benefit.
