In Sekondi-Takoradi, the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority has partnered with the Ahantaman Girls Senior High School to promote environmental consciousness.

In commemorating World Environment Day last Wednesday, GPHA led a tree planting exercise within the environs of the school.

These include Vietchia, Pride of Barbados, Hibiscus, Mahogany, Cedrella, Avocado and Coconut.

In addition to planting 150 seedlings, the team from GPHA led by the Estate and Environment Manager at the Port of Takoradi, David Halm, held a sensitization exercise to educate the students on why they need to take conscious care of the environment.

“We are not just planting the trees and leaving them but we going to monitor the growth of these trees. We have marked each tree on GIS software and we'll be coming back every now and then to see how the trees are faring. We don't just want to do something on a day, we want this to be sustainable. June 5, is not just to pamper the earth but it is a day to create awareness and from that awareness, we take good care of the earth every day of the year,” he said.
The Western Regional Director for the Department of Parks and Gardens, Isaac Ephraim emphasized the importance of the Green Ghana Project.

“Carrying out tree planting exercises go a long way to increase the tree canopy space in the environment, help to sequest carbon in the environment, and also maintain the climatic conditions within a locality or a small area. Tree planting has a lot of benefits for us,” he said.

The students and headmistress of Ahantaman Girls Senior High School expressed excitement to be a part of this noble cause.

“This partnership means so much because it is going to be a collaboration in the future. I know that there is going to be an eye on Ahantaman Girls Senior High School, so far as environmental protection is concerned and so far as our understanding, preaching and spreading the good news about protecting the environment is concerned,” she said.