Lands and Forestry called to support tree planting

Agona Nyakrom (C/R), Oct 23, GNA - The Country-Director of Youth and Environment Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Mr Bernard Sey, has expressed concern about the inability of the Ministry of Land and Forestry to assist organisations undertaking tree-planting projects.

He pointed out that such organisations were going through difficulties in getting funding and other assistance to support communities and educational institutions to plant trees. Mr Sey stated this when he handed over a nine-seater KVIP toilet estimated at 23 million cedis to the Agona Nyakrom Methodist Primary (B) School at Nyakrom financed by the Dettinger World Shop, an organisation, supporting community elementary schools and the youth in Germany. The Country-Director stated that the organisation had approached the Ministry for support without success to extend its tree planting activities to other districts.

Mr Sey said the Foundation from its scarce resources had spent 150 million cedis to plant 30,000 tree species in 72 schools in the Agona, Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa, Ajumako and Awutu-Effutu-Senya districts. He stated that the Foundation had selected Awutu-Bawjiase for a pilot project, adding that the Youth Environment Foundation in Germany had planned an exchange programme with schools in Ghana to plant trees. Mr Sey said the Foundation had acquired a 25-hectare stretch of land at the cost of 60 million cedis at Ajumako Ochiso to cultivate medicinal plants.

Mr John Kweku Mensah, Head-teacher of the School, said the Foundation had planed to provide pipe borne water and electricity to the school after the completion of the KVIP toilet project. He said the school started its tree planting exercise in 1993 through the sponsorship of the Youth Environment Foundation in Germany and was declared as the best in tree planting in 1997 and awarded a certificate and a cash prize.

The Head-teacher pointed out that even though the school block was built in 1926 it had been protected in rainstorms by trees serving as a windbreak.

Mr Mensah also appealed to the Ministry of Lands and Forestry for the supply of more tree species to plant.