Youth activist 'stings' Akufo-Addo over alleged sale of forest reserves and Green Ghana project

Youth activist Bernard Oduro Takyi (B.O.T) has chastised the Akufo-Addo government over the alleged sale of some parts of the country’s forest reserves.

He said President Nana Akufo-Addo lacks the moral right to lead a tree-planting campaign such as the ‘Green Ghana’ project when his appointees are complicit of plowing forests to engage in illegal mining.

Speaking on Abranaaso on TV XYZ on Saturday, B.O.T indicated the exercise was good since the impact of global warming was being felt across the globe, however, the president does not believe in afforestation as he seeks to portray.

“A government that sells its natural forest reserves to family and friends as well as allowing Chinese or foreigners to embark on galamsey under the protection of our respectable military without recourse to Article 268 and 269 of the 1992 constitution of the Republic of Ghana, while spending millions of dollars of tax payers’ money on Green Ghana project is a walking contradiction,” B.O.T told host Okatakyie Afrifa Mensah.

Green Ghana Project

The Green Ghana project was initiated by the government last year to plant some 5 million trees across the country.

The second edition of the exercise this year is aimed at planting 20 million trees.

Efforts are being directed at encouraging students to actively participate in tree planting.

President Akufo-Addo who planted a tree at the Efua Sutherland Children’s Park in Accra rallied all Ghanaians to contribute to the programme.

The President said the country during the maiden edition set for itself a target of planting some five million trees, but ended up planting seven million trees, 80 per cent of which he said had survived and were doing very well.

While commending all Ghanaians and everyone who contributed to the success of last year’s programme, he expressed joy that the Green Ghana Day had no political party colouration.

“We must leave generations unborn no matter the political affiliation with a greener sustainable future,” he stated.

The President pointed out that the country had lost some 100,000 acres of natural forests in the last decade alone while the timber industry which generated jobs for thousands of people was suffering.

:“We are advised by the experts and teachings of the Paris Agreement of COP 21 to keep global temperatures below 1.5 degrees Celsius in order to avoid the worst impact of climate change, but at the current rate, global warming is projected to reach 3.2 degrees Celsius by the end of the century,” he added.

However, Oduro Takyi alleged the president’s appointees have contributed to the depletion of the country’s forest reserves.

He also pointed to the lands the late Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie (Sir John), a former CEO of the Forestry Commission, acquired in the Achimota Forest Reserve and bequeathed to his relatives as one of the many reasons the Akufo-Addo government should not be praised for the Green Ghana project.