The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Samuel A. Jinapor has joined the Diplomatic Corps of Ghana to mark the 2023 Green Ghana Day with a tree planting exercise at the Seismic Centre Achimota as he called on all and sundry to find very significant and practical way of contributing to the global efforts of halting climate change.
He was proud to mention that Ghana as a respected member of the international community is a lead country when it comes to global efforts on halting climate change particularly, nature based climate action.
The Minister stressed that the Green Ghana Day, plays a crucial role in all efforts efforts being made to combat climate change. He said “It is on this Day that we awaken the consciousness of the Ghanaian people about the importance of trees in our lives. It is on this Day that we strive to inculcate in our people, particularly students and the youth, the culture of tree planting.”
“It is on this Day that we scale up national awareness on forest protection and preservation. And it is, also, on this Day, that we demonstrate to the world, in a more significant and practical way, our commitment to implementing nature-based solutions to halt climate change” he continued.
He assured that the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources through the Forestry Commission will continue to provide support for the nurturing of trees planted. While they do so, he entreated each and every Ghanaian to take responsibility for nurturing trees in homes, offices and communities, till they reach maturity.
The Lands Minister made an appeal to Ghanaians saying “If we put our collective efforts together, we can deliver a safe, healthy, cooler, and greener planet. Therefore, wherever you may find yourself today, kindly take a moment out of your schedule and plant a tree in support of this noble undertaking”
In his statement, the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps and Lebanese Ambassador to Ghana, His Excellency Maher Kheir, applauded the government and the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources for what he described as a priceless initiative which reflects a futuristic vision of a Green Ghana and to protect Ghana’s rich landscape and vegetation.
He added that as a united force driven by a shared commitment to protect forests which indeed are the lifeline of the planet, it is only through a collective effort that all leaders of world can assure a healthier future for the current generation and those yet to come.
The Ambassador sent out a plea saying “we cannot afford to ignore the link between our forest and our health, we must take immediate action to reverse the tides of deforestation and protect our natural heritage” We must promote reforestation and prioritize restoration programmes
He further pledged the continuous support of the Diplomatic Press Corp towards the Green Ghana Day saying “Let us pledge to plant trees, protect our exiting forests and educate others about the importance of this noble issue”
Mr. John Allotey, the CEO of the Forestry Commission appreciated the efforts of the Diplomatic mission in Ghana for their support over the years and hoped that the long standing relationship will continue.
