Accra, Jan. 26, GNA - The Environmentally Concerned Citizens Association of Ghana on Monday urged the residents of the North Tongu District in the Volta Region to embrace the national tree planting campaign and promote it within its schools. He said the bare geographical nature of the area needed to undertake serious afforestation to save it from further degradation. In a statement to the GNA, Mr Joseph Yaw Aidoo, urged district assemblies and opinion leaders to intensify the education drive before the rains set in.

He warned against indiscriminate setting of bushfires this dry season, adding that this was the time to intensify education on tree planting in schools.

"If the education is properly done now, immediately the rains begin planting could be done to achieve a good level of maturity before the next dry season," he said.

Mr Aidoo distributed about a 1,500 seedlings to schools in Akatsi, Adidome and Sogakofe, saying it was a collaborative effort with the Ministry of Environment and Science Ghana Education Service and the Forestry Services Division.

The statement said in Adidome, the North Tongu District Chief Executive, Mr Nicholas Ahiadome appealed to the residents to support the Association by planting trees at vantage points and around school compounds to serve as wind breaks.

Mr S.K.A. Dzisenu, District Director of the GES, Adidome, said all first cycle schools should establish their own pilot nurseries to complement the effort of government.