In Kumasi, the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II launched the Green Ghana Day initiative for this year and urged institutions to accept accountability for their part in the ongoing environmental degradation.
He said that it was impossible for the chieftaincy and other governmental bodies to deny knowledge of illicit miners' operations occurring inside their separate territories.
As a result, the Asantehene has promised to deal with chiefs who do nothing but watch as unlawful mining spreads over their traditional territories.
He raised alarm about the degree of environmental damage caused by unlawful mining in areas like Amansie and Manso Nkwanta.
The Asantehene said, "If you sit there and claim that you have no idea what is going on, then you are not fit to be a chief."
Adding that "I will have to start with my chiefs while the government also deals with the others," he pleaded with all residents to help the government combat the threat of illicit mining that was quickly destroying the nation's land and forest reserves. To combat the threat, we must all take these issues seriously.
Commendation
The Asantehene praised the government for starting the tree-planting initiative to restore damaged regions, including mining and illicit logging, as well as combating climate change.
Because "I know the importance of trees in the protection of water bodies," he claimed, he started a scheme in 2019 to plant 2.5 million trees around Bosomtwe Lake before the project was even introduced in 2021.
The Asantehene said that in addition to offering health advantages, wood also made a considerable contribution to the nation's economic growth.
He did, however, express regret that "illegal logging and mining continue to pose a threat to our forests" despite several government initiatives to combat the problem of land and forest degradation.
Appeal
The Asantehene also urged chiefs to take the initiative by participating in the Green Ghana project on June 9, 2023, and planting trees in their local areas.
The Ashanti Region has planted the most trees nationwide since the program began in 2021, based on the data that is currently available.
He said that 7.8 million of the 31 million seedlings planted countrywide were in this area, "and the majority of them have survived and are doing well."
Rationale
According to Samuel Abu Jinapor, Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, the initiative was started as a part of efforts to "curb the continual degradation of our forests, which has been going on for years without any intentional attempt to replace them.
He said that between 2010 and 2015, a period of five years, the nation lost a total of 160,210 hectares of forest cover, compared to the 157,300 hectares of forest that had been planted between 1967 and 2016.
As a result, the country lost more forest cover in five years than it had gained in 53 years of planting.
The minister claimed that, as a result, the government had to take drastic action to replace the lost forest cover.
The Asantehene was thanked by Mr. Jinapor for his ongoing support of the scheme from its start and for overseeing the endeavor in the area.
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