Dr Akoto spearheads tree-planting exercise in Kwadaso

Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, Member of Parliament (MP) for Kwadaso Constituency, is leading a tree-planting project to green the area.

According to the MP, he has embarked on the planting of teak trees at some basic schools in the constituency to ensure environmental safety, and also provide economic benefits for the schools.

“The tree-planting project is a unique model I introduced in the area to provide financial incentives, as well as protect the environment,” Dr Akoto told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview in Accra.

The GNA was seeking to know the reaction of the Kwadaso Legislator to environmental, water and sanitation challenges in the constituency.

According to the MP, there are about 350,000 people in the constituency, which is peri-urban.

The constituency is made up of 14 major settlements. These are Apire, Nwamase, Nzema, Amanfrom, Kokode, Edwenase, Ohwimase, Denkyemmuoso and Techiman.

The rest are Kwadaso, Nyankyerenease, Apatrapa, Asuoyeboah and Tanoso. It is home to the famous Sofoline Interchange, and also hosts the Northern Command of the Four Battalion Infantry Brigade (4BN).

“I am the only MP to undertake a project of tree planting on school compounds in the communities of the constituencies, and 32 schools have planted a total of 45,000 teak trees, Dr Akoto said.

He added “this exercise is part of my efforts create forests on school compounds, restore Kumasi as the Garden City of West Africa and the greenery of the country. This would also help avoid encroachment, and define physical boundaries of the schools.

“This is also a huge investment for providing poles for electricity.”

Apart from the tree-planting exercise, Dr Akoto said he was teaming up with stakeholders including the traditional rulers, the youth and the religious community for education on the environment, stressing that trees are not to be cut indiscriminately.

The Kwadaso mentioned that the search for suitable waste disposal site had become a challenge as the community continued to grow from rural to peri-urban.

Dr Akoto mentioned a number of toilet projects he was facilitating to be done, and urged all in the constituency, public institutions and non-governmental institutions to support any activity in improving water supply, sanitation and the environment.