Hundreds of Green Ghana Seedlings Thrown Away At Mampong

Over one thousand tree seedlings meant for planting under the novel Green Ghana project, initiated by Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, have been found dumped at a refuse dump.

Information available to The Anchor’indicates, the unfortunate incident occurred at Mampong in the Ashanti Region.

According to media reports, the act was done by the Assembly Member for the Mampong Bosofour Electoral Area of the region.

A 3minutes 55seconds video of the incident sighted by this paper, shows loads of the seedlings dumped and scattered at unknown landfill site within the Asante Mampong municipality.

A journalist with the state broadcaster, GBC, Clement Kwaku Adu, who first discovered the development alleged that, it was an Assembly Member who dumped the seedlings, which came at a cost to the taxpayer.

The journalist told the Ejura-based Naagyei FM that his checks show that the seedlings which included teak and mahogany, were given to the assemblyman by the Member of Parliament (MP) for the area, Kwaku Ampratwum Sarpong, to facilitate the planting exercise.

It is unclear, if authorities at Asante Mampong municipal Assembly or the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources will take up the matter, investigate it and punish those found culpable as a result of their recklessness.

Interestingly, the Assemblyman was also reported to have been given money, to ensure that people are recruited to do the planting exercise at a fee.

“It is instructive to note that the MP gave the assemblyman money from his own pocket, to facilitate the planting of the seedlings”, he said.

Though the Assemblyman did not perform the task, he sat unconcerned until he had information that the MP, who is also a Deputy Minister for Foreign Affair and Regional Integration, was visiting the constituency.

Sensing danger, Clement Kwaku Adu, said the Assemblyman hurriedly collected all the seedlings and dumped them in a nearby bush, to hide his inefficiency.

That is not all; the investigation by the journalist also revealed why the over-a-thousand seedlings were not planted as arranged.

According to him, instead of the Assemblyman paying the field workers (people who were helping in the planting exercise) GH₵20.00 a day, he rather paid them GH₵10.00, so the initial group of people got angry and led to the dissolution of the group.

He then decided to constitute another group for the same task, but unfortunately the exercise didn’t go well as planned and the seedlings were abandoned.

“So in order that the MP does not get to know how inefficient he (assemblyman) has been, the latter gathered the seedlings and dumped them in a bush”, the journalist said.

When the reporter contacted the lawmaker for his reaction he’s failed to respond.

Meanwhile, the Assemblyman in an interview on Naagyei FM, rubbished the claims, insisting that he was not responsible for the dumping the seedlings.

This year, government budgeted about GH₵ 9.6 million for the 2022 ‘Green Ghana’ project.

The Green Ghana Day was introduced in 2021, by the government as part of an aggressive national afforestation/reforestation programme to restore the lost forest cover of Ghana and to contribute to the global effort to mitigate climate change.

The maiden edition was held on June 11 2021, where an estimated 7 million tree seedlings were planted across the nation.

Under the first edition, a target for planting 5 million trees were set, however, at the end of the exercise, it emerged that 7 million trees were planted.

In this year’s exercise held on June 10, President Akufo-Addo who led the exercise planted a tree in commemoration of the Green Ghana day.

While the President planted a Moringa Tree (tree of life) last year to mark the occasion, he planted the African Mahogany tree this year.

Addressing the gathering at the Efua Sutherland Park, the President acknowledged the relevance of the occasion, stressing that this is part of efforts to recover the country’s lost forest cover.

“…we are embarking on an aggressive aforestation and re-aforestation program aimed at restoring the country’s lost forest cover and halting the current rate of deforestation,” he said.

President Akufo-Addo, during his speech at the Efua Sutherland Park, thanked the citizenry for being a part of the first edition which he described as a success.

“I want to use this opportunity once again to thank you all, my fellow Ghanaians, and everyone who contributed to the success of that programme,” Mr Akufo-Addo added.

“This year, our target is to plant at least 20 million trees. Even though 20 million may sound like a lot, it’s nowhere near what we’ve lost over the years. Trees, and indeed, forests are necessary for our own survival and that of our planet,” he added.

He further entreated the general public to participate in this year’s event.

“Happily, Green Ghana day has no political party colouration as we all agree that we must leave generations unborn – no matter their political affiliations – of a greener sustainable future,” he said.

“…it is in this spirit that I call on every one of you whether you are a Ghanaian or not in so far as you are in Ghana, join us today to plant at least 20 million,” he added.

Source: Anchorghana