The Majority Chief Whip and Member of Parliament for the Nsawam Adoagyiri Constituency in the Eastern Region, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, has called on the Ministry of Finance to invest approximately 1 million dollars as a seed fund in the Ghana Green Project. This investment aims to support the national initiative to plant trees and restore forests in Ghana.
According to him, "Investing in tree planting is a direct investment that can generate significant revenue for Ghana. Last year, through carbon trading privatization, Ghana invested 5 million dollars and, as a result of the tree planting, the country was able to earn substantial profits. Therefore, if the Ministry of Finance invests in tree planting, the country could make at least 10 million dollars from it."
Frank Annoh-Dompreh disclosed this information while speaking at Ahodwo, a community in his constituency, to mark the 2024 edition of Green Ghana Day. He emphasized that planting, nurturing, and maintaining trees must be a priority for Ghanaians.
He stated his intention to collaborate with the Ghana Prisons Service and provide resources to motivate inmates to plant more trees, contributing to global efforts to mitigate climate change.
Mr. Annoh-Dompreh, who is also an environmentalist, has been actively engaged in afforestation issues and advocates for tree planting. He believes that Ghanaians should come together to plant more trees, especially on national holidays.
He argued that tree planting should not be a once-a-year activity, as the initiative will help protect our environment and reduce the impact of deforestation.
Mr. Annoh-Dompreh noted that deforestation, resulting from human activities such as building settlements and road construction, poses a threat to socio-economic life.
He added that it is crucial for the government to initiate the Green Ghana Project, as it could have far-reaching effects on future generations due to the impact of global warming.
"Let all individuals come together to plant trees in their homes and nurture them to maturity as a way of contributing to the preservation of our environment. This should not be an annual exercise; we can do this on our national holidays," said Frank Annoh-Dompreh.
He expressed gratitude to the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and his Vice, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, for the Green Ghana initiative, which will discourage the indiscriminate cutting down of trees and safeguard future generations.
Frank Annoh-Dompreh also appealed to the members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to support the national initiative to plant trees and restore the country's forests.
He pleaded with traditional leaders to provide land for the construction of a hospital in the Ahodwo community to improve access to healthcare.
He revealed that the construction of classroom blocks and toilet facilities for students in Ahodwo has enhanced the lives of the area's residents.
Frank Annoh-Dompreh announced that effective educational measures have led Nsawam Adoagyiri to achieve the best Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) results in the Eastern region.
He pledged to continue delivering developmental initiatives and to serve the constituents of his constituency wholeheartedly.
Since the inception of the Green Ghana Project, over 42 million trees have been planted. The goal for 2024 is to add another 10 million trees, bringing the total to 52 million trees in just four years.
This ambitious target is in line with Ghana's commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 64 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent by 2030.