Osagyefo Oseadeyo Agyemang Badu II, the Paramount Chief of Dormaa Traditional Area in the Bono Region, on Friday appealed to Ghanaians to take the habit of tree planting seriously for the nation to derive the optimum benefit.
He said it was imperative for everybody to make tree planting a habit, instead of putting the responsibility on the shoulders of the government.
Osagyefo Oseadeyo Badu II, also the President of the Bono Region House of Chiefs made the appeal on the sidelines of a tree planting exercise to mark the Green Ghana Day at Dormaa-Ahenkro.
He lauded the day, initiated by the government in 2021.
The Paramount Chief expressed his joy and elation for the commemoration of the Day, which coincided with the 25th anniversary of his enstoolment and celebration of the 2024 Kwafie Festival of the Chiefs and People of the area slated December 9, to December 22 this year.
Osagyefo Oseadeyo Badu II joined his sub-chiefs and personnel of the Forestry Services Division to plant about 1,000 tree seedlings, comprising Ofram, Cinderella and Mahogany at the shoulders and western end of his Dormaa Abanpredease Palace.
Other participants included religious leaders, Heads of Department and Agencies and some identifiable groups.
On the celebration of the 2024 Kwafie festival, the Paramount Chief indicated “the event will be very special to behold” and entreated the chiefs and people of the traditional area to ‘put their house in order to welcome natives and visitors, home and abroad”.
Mr. Dominic Attebare-Oteng, the Dormaa District Manager, FSD, reiterated the need for everybody to plant and help nurture the trees, saying trees played an essential role in ensuring and determining seasonal rainfall patterns.
“We can’t get rain during the time we expect if we continue to cut down and destroy trees,” he warned.
Mr. Joseph Kwaku Pumpuni, an Assistant Director at the Dormaa Municipal Assembly, who spoke on behalf of Mr. Drissa Ouattara, the Dormaa Municipal Chief Executive, thanked the FSD for providing trees seedlings for the past three years, saying most of the trees planted were doing well.
The trees have so far been planted at different locations, including the Nana Agyemang Badu Sports Stadium, the New Lorry Terminal, the new cemetery, and the Dormaa-Ahenkro campus of the University of Environment and Natural Resources (UENR).