Awula Serwah, the Founder and Coordinator of Eco-conscious Citizens, has criticised how trees planted under the Green Ghana project were cultivated.
According to her, after the pumping and pomp, the trees were abandoned for “munching” by goats.
She stated that this development had an impact on the Green Ghana initiative, which is part of an ambitious national afforestation/reforestation programme aimed at restoring Ghana’s lost forest cover and contributing to the worldwide effort to combat climate change.
Speaking in an interview on JoyNews’ The Probe on Sunday, Madam Serwah explained that, “a week after the trees were planted, there were reports that goats were munching on some of the trees because they hadn’t been protected.”
Awula Serwah stated that while 20 million trees were provided, appropriate monitoring of the trees will tell us if they can grow to maturity.
She asked the government to reverse its decision to allow bauxite mining in the Atiwa forest reserve.
This is due to the environmental effects of the mining, she explained.
“We have been told that not only will it contaminate the source of water for about 5 million Ghanaians, but will also destroy the ecosystem and kill endangered plants and animal species.”
She went on to declare that if the country is serious about protecting forests, the Achimota Forest Reserve would not be declassified.
“There is no point in planting 20 million trees and destroying the existing ones we have,” Madam Serwah stressed.
