DCE launches River Basin forestation to sustain water

Kuano (E/R), Sept. 10, GNA- The Suhum Kraboa Coaltar District River Basin Forestation has been launched, with a call on farmers to desist from farming on riverbanks.

"We are all witnesses to the extent to which our environment is being degraded through reckless felling of trees in the forest, without replacing them for our children," said Mr Michael Kofi Mensah, the District Chief Executive (DCE), who made the call while launching the programme at Kuano near Suhum in the Eastern Region.

The district assembly in conjunction with the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) brought together 22 Disaster Volunteer Corps (DVC) who will plant about 20,340 tree seedlings, to protect water bodies, sustain rivers and lands along the three rivers in the district. The DCE appealed to chiefs, landlords, the Unit Committees and the communities along the river basins, to assist the volunteer groups with communal labour to ensure the success of the programme. Mr Godfred Okyere, Member of Parliament for Ayensuano, deplored the habit of chainsaw operators in the area and asked them to stop the practice.

Mr Okyere called on the people to support the National Health Insurance Scheme because it's aim is to spread the risks of incurring health care costs over a group of subscribers, saying, "the larger the subscribers, the lower the risk."

He said health insurance is one of several methods that the government is adopting to finance health care adding, "Health Insurance is to replace the cash and carry system of payment of health services consumed."

Mr. C. S. Cantey, District Co-ordinator of NADMO, announced that the forestation project started two years ago and that about 1.5 million tree seedlings will be planted along the rivers. 10 Sept. 03