Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, has urged Ghanaians to go beyond planting trees and focus on protecting and nurturing them, emphasizing that long-term care is what ensures lasting impact.
Speaking on Thursday, March 19, at Achimota Forest during the International Day of Forests, Mr. Buah stressed sustainability as the cornerstone of tree-planting initiatives.
“We must do more than plant. We must nurture because, as we know, a seedling is a promise and a mature tree is a legacy,” he said.
He explained that the government’s Tree for Life Initiative is designed not only as an environmental programme but also as a long-term economic strategy.
“This initiative is our domestic engine for a global effort, transforming reforestation into a viable economic pathway for our youth and rural communities,” he stated.
According to the Minister, restoring degraded lands brings both environmental and financial benefits.
“By rehabilitating degraded areas, we create green assets that can generate carbon credits, attract green investment, create high-value jobs, while cleaning our air and regulating our climate,” he said.
Highlighting progress, Mr. Buah revealed that the 2025 target has already been surpassed.
“Against a target of 30 million seedlings, we successfully distributed and planted over 30 million. More importantly, this was a people-powered achievement that created over 41,000 green jobs,” he noted.
Looking ahead, the government has set the same ambitious target for 2026.
“For this year, we are aiming once again to plant 30 million seedlings,” he said.
However, the Minister warned that planting alone is not enough, citing ongoing threats such as bushfires, illegal logging, and illegal mining.
“We must protect these young trees from bushfires, illegal logging, and encroachment from illegal mining, which we are tackling head-on with our forestry guards in collaboration with the security services,” he added.
Mr. Buah also called on all sectors of society to contribute to forest protection.
“To our traditional leaders, we look forward to your continued stewardship over community lands and sacred groves. To the private sector, we challenge you to see sustainability not as a cost but as a strategic investment in your long-term future,” he said.
He appealed to civil society to help raise awareness and ensure accountability.
“To our civil society, we ask for your partnership in deepening awareness and holding us all accountable,” he added.
Concluding, the Minister underscored the critical role of forests in Ghana’s environmental and economic future.
“As we plant these saplings today, we are making a strategic economic investment. He who protects the forest protects the nation’s future and anchors its entire economy. A nation that destroys its forests destroys itself. Our forests are the lungs of our land, purifying the air we breathe and giving strength to our people.”