KMA launches urban forestry project to green Kumasi


School children, chiefs and government officials planted trees at the Asokwa Police station on Wednesday to mark the beginning of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly’s journey to green the metropolis.

The Mayor of Kumasi Mayor, Kojo Bonsu, has a vision to plant one million trees by 2017.

Dubbed the ‘Kumasi Urban Forestry Project’, the initiative has been tagged ‘me and my tree competition’ to get school children and other stakeholders planting and nurturing their trees to win prizes.

The Kumasi Urban Forestry Project is part of the Kumasi Mayor’s vision to restore Kumasi to its former status as the Garden city of West Africa.

City authorities launched the project at the Asokwa Police Station with trees planted and adopted by the Regional Minister, Dr. Samuel Sarpong, Chief of Asokwa, Nana Fe Baa Amoah, school children, and other dignitaries.

The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly has supplied over GHC40, 000 worth of seedlings for the project.

GIZ, who are partners of the initiate, have also provided 7000 seedlings.

The Bank of Africa and Melcom have donated 100 seedling sheds each to support the project.

KMA Boss, Kojo Bonsu says a team of experts from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has been constituted to monitor the project to ensure progress.

Other partners including the Forestry Research Institute of Ghana, the Institute of Renewable Natural Resources of KNUST and the Ghana Education Service are providing technical assistance.

At the official launch on Wednesday, the Kumasi Mayor entreated landlords and individuals to approach the assembly for seedlings to plant and nurture on their own.

He said residents of Kumasi must resolve to plant and tend at least one tree.

‘The time to start is now’, he stressed.
Many have fingered urbanization as the cause of  the continuous loss of the greenery in Kumasi.

 Some residents have suggested the assembly enforce its by-laws to ensure the sustenance of the  afforestation project.

Comments:
This article has 0 comment, leave your comment.