Kasoa (C/R) June 3 GNA-The Ghana National Scholarship Beneficiaries Association's (GNASBA) School Tree planting campaign for the year 2007 in the Awutu-Effutu-Senya district has been launched at Kasoa with a call on the people in the district to water and nuture the trees to grow well.

The Association supplied 4000 cassia tree seedlings for planting at schools and communities in the district to beautify the environment and also serve as windbreaks. The theme for the programme is; "understand the environment: our survival and heritage". The District Chief Executive, Mr. Solomon Abbam-Quaye who launched the programme urged the people to stop the destruction of trees and forests, especially those around rivers and streams to save them from drying up.

Mr. Baffour Akwasi Oppong, chairman of GNASBA said GNASBA is educating the people on the need to plant more trees because of the important role trees play in human life. He appealed to the people to undertake take tree-planting exercises in and around their communities to protect their buildings against tainstorms and also provide them with shade. Mr. Oppong, on behalf of the association presented 15 liter-bins to the Kasoa A.M.E Zion School, where the function took place and commended Fan Milk Ghana Limited for sponsoring the programme. Mr. Albert Sam Public Relation Officer for the Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL), who deputized for Mr. Ibrahim Mohammed Awal, Managing Director of the Company said they would support and partner the association in the crusade to improve upon the environment in the country.

He said environmental protection and preservation are of critical importance to the nation and the company takes a serious view of all issues relating to the environment. "As a practical demonstration of the company's commitment to help to improve upon the environment, it has devoted pages of all its publications to highlight issues concerning the environment". Mr. Daniel Kweku Arhin, Awutu-Effutu-Senya District Director of Education urged Ghanaians to provide the leadership in sustaining tree growing in the localities as a measure to ensure human survival and protection of ecology. Mr. Arhin hoped that the launching of the tree-planting campaign would motivate heads of schools, teachers and students to start growing trees within their school environment.