Ecofrontiers, a non-governmental organisation, together with Prudential Life Insurance has introduced the tree planting pet project.
The project is aimed at ensuring that school children develope the habit of taking care of tree just like they will do to their pet.
Over ten thousand trees were given to school children within the Gomoa East enclave to plant.
The exercise forms part of the Green Ghana day project held in the distrct.
The organization which is leading the charge to plant over ten thousand trees as part of the Green Ghana day project in the Gomoa East Diatrict of the Central Region says planting a tree will help protect Ghana’s forest cover which is fast deteriorating.
According to Ecofrontiers, planting tree comes with a lot of benefit adding that the issue of climate change where carbon is emitted into the atmosphere will be stopped.
Citing the Ghana example in Keta and Fuveme where parts of communities along the coast is gradually being taken away by the sea, the organization believes planting of trees along that stretch will help solve the problem.
Samuel Sakyi Addo the Programs Officer for Ecofrontiers who was speaking at the Green Ghana day project in partnership with Prudential Life Insurance Ghana indicated that the introduction of the tree planting pet project is aimed at ensuring the planting and protection of trees just like pets.
Additionally the distribution of the trees to school children for planting is to support the Green Ghana day project by government which aimed at restoring over 2 million hectors of deforested and degraded land.
“Today’s event is the green Ghana project where we create awareness about trees in our environment and ways of planting and projecting them. Globally we are faced with climate change issues where carbons are being emitted into the atmosphere so once we plant trees, these trees will trap the carbons and give out the oxygen that we breath. Once the eviroment is safe then it means the people wo live in it are also safe”Programs Officer for for Ecofrontiers Samuke Sakyi said.
“We have also introduced the tree planting pet project aimed at protecting trees just like pets and this is one of the things that we do at Ecofrontiers.Once the tree becomes your pet you treat it like you will treat your pet and this will help us examine the trees that have blossom next year when we gather here again”Samuel Sakyi said.
It believes the move will also help protect trees after planting them to ensure that it doesnt die out.
The Environmental Protection Agency highlighted the need to avoid the usage of polythene bags because when it is buried under the soil it prevents the free flow of water and impedes the younger plants from growing since they are non biodegradable.
According to Clement Etse of the Kasoa Area Office, there is the need for sensitization on the usage of polythene bags since they pose a lot of danger to the environment adding that the tree planting exercise is a step in the right direction since it will help save the environment.
“Planting a tree is important since it protects the environment and provide shade. We must also ensure that we do away with polythene bags since they are no n biodegradable and can stay under the soil for over two hundred years”Clement Etse said.
Parliamentary candidate for the National Democratic Congress in the Awutu Senya East constituency Phyllis Naa Koryoo Okunnor indicated that the exercise provides a lot of benefit to society hence must be treated as such.
“Trees are for life and the provide us with a lot of benefits. Let us treat this exercise with all the importance and we generations will benefit from them” the NDC candidate said.
Member of Parliament for Gomoa East Desmond Degraft Paitoo also graced the occassions.