The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources and Acting Minister for Environment, Science and Technology, Mr Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has urged Ghanaians to focus on nurturing and protecting planted trees.
He noted that the success of the Tree for Life Reforestation Initiative will be determined by the number of trees that survive and mature.
He made the call at the launch of the 2026 edition of the initiative at the West Africa Senior High School in Accra during the celebration of World Environment Day.
He disclosed that the government has set a target of planting 30 million tree seedlings nationwide this year, following the planting of more than 31 million trees in 2025.
Mr Buah said the next phase of the initiative must place greater emphasis on tree survival and maintenance.
He called on institutions, communities, and individuals to take ownership of trees planted under the programme to ensure they grow and deliver lasting environmental benefits.
The Minister noted that the event’s themes, “Inspired by Nature. For Climate. For Our Future” and “Forests and Economies”, reflected the close relationship between environmental protection and economic development.
He said forests support agriculture, create jobs, protect water resources, and strengthen climate resilience while contributing to sustainable growth.
He warned that Ghana continues to face the effects of climate change, including rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, flooding, droughts, coastal erosion, and declining forest cover.
“Climate change is no longer a future threat but a present reality requiring immediate and collective action,” he said.
The Chief Executive of the Forestry Commission, Mr Hugh Brown, said forests remain an important source of livelihoods and economic activity, with about 20 per cent of Ghana’s population depending directly or indirectly on forest resources.
He disclosed that restoration activities under the 2025 Tree for Life initiative covered more than 23,600 hectares of degraded landscapes in addition to the approximately 31 million seedlings planted across the country.
Mr Brown appealed to Ghanaians to support efforts to address deforestation, illegal mining, and forest degradation through sustainable forest management practices.
Speaking on behalf of the Chief Executive Officer of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), Prof. Nana Ama Brown Klutse, the Deputy Chief Executive in charge of General Services, Dr Jacob Paarechuga Anankware, described the Tree for Life initiative as a practical response to climate change and environmental degradation.
He said the EPA would continue efforts to tackle illegal mining, pollution, and environmental degradation while promoting sustainable waste management.
Dr Anankware reiterated the government’s plans to ban Styrofoam and polystyrene takeaway packaging from January 1, 2027, as part of measures to reduce plastic pollution.
The Tree for Life Reforestation Initiative was launched by President Mahama in 2025 at Nkawie in the Ashanti Region as a national programme aimed at restoring degraded lands, increasing forest cover, and strengthening Ghana’s response to climate change.
Irene Wirekoaa Osei, ISD
