Nkoranza (Brong Ahafo), 16 March '99 -

The Unity Afforestation Rural Youth Association at Nkoranza has presented 210 tree seedlings of different spices to the people of Yamfo and Susuanso in the Bechem District for planting at the outskirts of their communities to serve as wind-breaks. The presentation follows a recent rainstorm which hit the two towns and ripped off the roofs of a number of houses and damaged property estimated at several millions of cedis. The chairman and manager of the association's nursery project, Mr Isaac Hackim, told newsmen at Nkoranza that they offered the seedlings free of charge in order to encourage the people to embrace the tree-planting. Mr Hackim said the association has tree seedlings, such as cashew, acacia, mahogany, teak, malsena, mangoes and pears, which they sell to individuals or groups undertaking afforestation projects. He urged the Nkoranza District Education Directorate and churches to organise school children to collect some of the seedlings to plant on school compounds and church premises to protect the buildings during rainstorms. The project and programmes co-ordinator of the Ghana Tree Farmers Association, Mr Henry Korang-Fosu, commended the Nkoranza youth for their kind gesture and urged other youth groups to emulate them. He appealed to the government and non-governmental organisations to support the association, both materially and financially.