Accra-Ghana, June 08, GNA – The Rotary District 9102 Green Project Committee has commemorated this year’s World Environment Day with a tree planting exercise at the Pantang Hospital.
The exercise dubbed: “1 Rotarian, 1 Tree: Supporting the District 9102 green project”, was in partnership with the Forestry Commission, Pantang Hospital and the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources.
It aimed at planting 2000 tree seedlings at the Pantang Hospital to complement Government’s nationwide planting exercise.
Mr Benito Owusu Bio, Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, said the Government was committed to addressing the issues of deforestation and that the green Ghana initiative was one of the many interventions to achieved that.
He commended Rotary Ghana for supporting to green the environment, contribute to changing the global pattern and for demonstrating leadership and providing many opportunities for communities in Ghana.
“As you celebrate the World Environment Day today, I entreat you to also join us on Friday to embark the nationwide tree planting exercise where we expect to plant 10 million trees. Other seedlings of various species will be made available in all forestry offices across the country.”
Mr Victor Yaw Asante, the Rotary District Governor, said Rotary had seven areas of focus, with the last focusing on the environment, which had received a lot of attention.
He said the District led initiative, which is the final project on the Rotarian year calendar, aimed at planting a minimum of 100,000 tress.
“ We started in September last year with the launch of the programme, and today we are here to plant 2000 tree seedlings. We are sure that with the support of the Forestry Commission, we will get all our 62 clubs in the country involved in the exercise.”
Mr Asante noted that often, follow-ups were not done on trees planted, and that, the project was not just to plant trees, but to monitor their progress and protect them to grow.
Dr Frank Baning, Medical Director, Pantang Hospital, said the initiative would beautify the Hospital’s environment and contribute to the global effort of mitigating climate change.
He said the Hospital was aware of the enormous benefits that trees brought to the environment and the positive relationship between mental health and the presence of trees and commended Rotary for the foresight.
The Medical Director appealed to the Government to expedite action on the walling of the Hospital.
Mr Francis Xavier Sosu, Member of Parliament for Madina, said the environment had become a critical issue because of climate change and that little acts like tree planting could help change the narrative.
He said the exercise was an investment into the future generations and commended Rotary Ghana for the efforts.
The MP charged the management of the Hospital to have a dedicated plan that would ensure that the trees survived.
Mr Joseph Bempah, Regional Director, Forestry Commission, commended Rotary for the partnership, saying “some of the seedlings we are planting today are for medicinal purposes while others are for shade, so we will collaborate with the Hospital to monitor their progress.
“We will be back in a month or two to do survival survey of the seedlings.”
