Accra, 29th June: The Commandant of the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) has advised all persons to be deliberate about greening their environments. According to Major Gen Francis Ofori, it is ecologically threatening to replace lawns and trees with concrete or other building choices that are unfriendly to the environment. He gave this admonition when he planted a tree at the Centre to commemorate the Green Ghana Day initiative. He implored staff against cutting trees or replacing plants with poor alternatives. Major Gen Ofori reiterated; “The principle of the Centre is that it does not subscribe to cutting of trees.” “At worse, the trees are pruned to enable them grow well” he added.
The Commandant also observed that ensuring that our environment is properly vegetated helps protect and prevent the perennial floods in the country.
The Head of Women Peace and Security Institute (WPSI), Mrs. Joana Osei-Tutu also planted a tree.
The Green Ghana Day was instituted last year by Government, under the auspices of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, as part of an aggressive afforestation and reforestation agenda, to restore the lost forest cover of the country. The maiden edition of the Green Ghana Day was held on June 11, 2021, where the President led the entire nation to plant over seven million trees, exceeding the target of five million trees.
This year, President of the Republic, H.E. Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo set aside June 10, 2022 as the day to commemorate this year’s Green Ghana Day, under the theme “Mobilising for a Greener Future.”
The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), led by the Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) – Vice Admiral (V/Adm) Seth Amoama, also activated the military’s participation in the national tree-planting project by issuing a directive to all Garrisons and Units of GAF to take active part in the noble national exercise. Following the directive, KAIPTC has planted trees on its premises.