Andrew Barnes, the Australian High Commissioner has urged Ghanaians to devise alternative ways that would cut down on the use of plastics.

He said these included putting items in natural containers like the leaves or paper bags or even going shopping with their own baskets which they could use continuously.

Mr Barnes said this in Accra during a planting initiative program organised by the GreenWay International Foundation with support from the Australian High Commission.

Hundred fruit trees were planted at the Ayalolo Cluster of Schools.

He said another important aspect with regard to the environment had to do with rubbish, sanitation and waste disposal which he said was a major issue in the country.

Mr Barnes therefore entreated the students not to litter indiscriminately but to endeavour to dispose of waste properly and urged the school administration to provide bins in the school and inculcate into the children, the culture of good sanitation.

He pledged that the Commission would work with the school’s administration to see how best they can help the school with rubbish bins to help foster the sanitation drive.

Mr Michael Olusunya, Country Director for GreenWay International Foundation said their vision was to plant five million trees across Africa but in Ghana alone, they had budgeted to plant one million trees by 2030.

He explained that the Australian High Commission was not their only partners and that they worked with various bodies including the government, stakeholders and private individuals and that if any organisation was interested in sponsoring their tree planting project, they would be glad to work with them.

“The number of trees we can plant in a day would all depend on the level of sponsorship we would receive so we are calling for everyone to come on board and help us,” he added.

He said the planting of the trees by the students and the dignitaries was a sustainability measure in that the trees ended up being owned by the school and its students.

“We have provided them with water cans and the teachers are going to mobilize them to grow the trees and ensure it grows,” he added.

Mr Olusunya said the organisation would not be threatened at the emergence of other tree planting organisations because more hands meant the planting of more trees which would lead to better air quality.

“It is not good to have only one organisation championing such a project. We need to mobilize more organisations and to support them so that we can work together with each other. I believe we can even plant more than one million trees if we all come together,” he added.

GreenWay is a root-driven organisation which specializes in the planting of trees to protect the environment and also reduce plastic waste in the country.

They are work in seven countries namely; Ghana, Nigeria, Togo, United Arab Emirates, South Africa, Cuba and Gambia.