Madam Justina Owusu-Banahene, the Bono Regional Minister, has directed Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to incorporate landscaping and tree planting into their by-laws as requirement to grant building permits to prospective developers. She explained that developers planting at least two trees and nurturing them to grow as part of the requirement for building permits would help in a faster greening of the Bono Region and the country in general. Madam Owusu-Banahene gave the directive when she addressed a gathering for the regional observance of this year's 'Green Ghana Project' Day organised by the regional office of the Forestry Commission (FC) of Ghana/Forestry Services Division (FSD) at the campus of the Catholic University Ghana (CUG), Fiapre in the Sunyani West Municipality where the ceremonial tree planting was done. This year's theme 'Our Forests, Our Health,' emphasised on the importance of the forests for the well-being of not only the populace but the survival of other living things and attainment of sustainable development. It also sought to create and intensify national awareness of the necessity for collective action for the restoration of degraded landscapes in the country as well as inculcate in the youth the values of planting and nurturing trees and their associated benefits to mitigate climate change, protect watersheds and beautify communities and the environment. The Regional Minister explained that the socio-economic, environmental and health benefits of the forests could not be overlooked, but the extent of destruction of the forest reserves by some people for their selfish gains at the expense of the general population 'is very disheartening.' Madam Owusu-Banahene therefore stressed the need for individuals, groups, and communities to resolve to nurture and protect the tree seedlings already planted up till maturity for the benefit of everyone. Mr Augustine Gyedu, the Bono Regional Manager of the FSD, said the region had a target of planting 600,000 tree seedlings, but as at the close of yesterday a total of about 601,727 seedlings had already been distributed. He said some species distributed included timber species - Mahogany, Kokrodua, Teak, Ofram, Emire, Cedrella and Gmelina and shade trees - Akyee, Montalis, Milletia, Cassia and Neem, Ornamental trees - militia, royal palm, and fruit trees - orange, mango, and avocado pear. Mr. Gyedu said 1.9 million seedlings were distributed and planted throughout the region last year, saying it exceeded a target of one million seedlings with a survival rate of more than 70 per cent. Professor Daniel Obeng-Ofori, the Vice Chancellor of the CUG said Ghanaians had a collaborative responsibility to support the planting of trees to promote sustainable environment and development for the survival of the citizens because the benefits of trees were visible for all people to see. Other dignitaries who took part in the symbolic tree planting exercise were the Most Reverend Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, the Catholic Bishop of Sunyani Diocese, Prof. Elvis Asare-Bediako, the VC, University of Energy and Natural Resources and Prof. Kwadwo Adinkra-Appiah, the VC of Sunyani Technical University.

Source: Ghana News Agency