Subi (E/R), Jan. 16, GNA - The Kwaebibirem District is determined to live up to its name which means dense forest or tropical rain forest. It hopes to achieve this by taking the "Greening Ghana" initiative seriously. The district will not only plant trees along the roads in towns and villages but also embarking on intensive re-forestation. The District Chief Executive, Mr Yaw Yiadom-Boakye, said this at the launch of the "Greening Ghana" project at Subi near the district capital, Kade, as part of the country's golden jubilee celebration. He said Kwaebibirem, like most parts of the country, had suffered from massive deforestation and the time was ripe to reforest the district.

The district has been the victim of mining and widespread logging by timber contractors and illegal chainsaw operators. The DCE said seedlings would be given to communities and schools for planting in every available space and that individuals would be encouraged to set up tree plantations.

Mr Yiadom-Boakye said the campaign to whip up enthusiasm in tree planting also goes along with the improvement of sanitation in the district.

Mr Joseph Bempah, the District Forestry Officer, said at the beginning of the 20th century the country had a total of 8.2 million hectares of forests but at the moment only 1.6 million hectares was left.

He warned that if re-forestation was not taken seriously, the country's forest could disappear in 20 years. The Subihene, Barima Amoah Bosompem II, advised his people to take care of the trees planted and warned against allowing stray animals to destroy them.