Tamale: High ranking public officials on Thursday joined the Forestry Commission in the Northern Region to plant trees to mark this year's Tree for Life (T4L) Day in Tamale. They included Mr. Ali Adolf John, Northern Regional Minister, Professor Seidu Al-Hassan, Vice-Chancellor, University for Development Studies (UDS), Alhaji Adam Abubakari Takoro, Tamale Metropolitan Chief Executive, and Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Mr. Wisdom Lavoe, Northern Regional Police Commander, amongst others.
According to Ghana News Agency, the exercise was aligned with national efforts to promote afforestation and sustainable environmental management and was part of activities commemorating this year's World Environment Day. Mr. Kwasi Frimpong, Forest Services Division Manager, Forestry Commission, Northern Region, speaking during the exercise at the UDS Campus in Tamale, stated that over one million trees comprising forest, shade, fruit, timber, and ornamental species would be planted in the region as part of the exercise.
He mentioned that this initiative aims to restore degraded landscapes across the country, especially areas affected by illegal mining and deforestation. He added that the campaign encouraged individuals, especially the youth, to take active roles in planting and nurturing trees in their communities and schools to help mitigate climate change.
The Northern Regional Minister reaffirmed the government's commitment to promoting sustainable environmental practices. He urged communities and schools to properly nurture the trees to ensure their survival and long-term impact.
Professor Al-Hassan pledged to integrate the T4L initiative into the university's outreach programmes. He stated, 'We will ensure that each student plants at least one tree in their host communities during the Third Trimester Field Practical Programme.' He appealed to the Forestry Commission to make more seedlings available to support the successful implementation of the initiative.
