The Church of Pentecost joined forces with the Ministry of Land and Natural Resources on Tuesday, April 16, 2024, to mark the launch of the 2024 edition of the Green Ghana Day.
This year’s event on the theme, “Growing for a Greener Tomorrow” was held at the multipurpose auditorium of the University of Development Studies (UDS) in Tamale. The aim is to plant 10 million tree seedlings across the nation on Friday, June 7, 2024.
Addressing the audience, Professor Seidu Al-Hassan, Vice Chancellor of the University for Development Studies (UDS), lauded the government’s initiative, emphasising its relevance in academia and religion.
He highlighted poverty and mere rhetoric without tangible action as the factors that may hinder the realisation of the project.
Professor Al-Hassan explained that as far as most of the population depends on the environment for survival, the fight against environmental degradation will be difficult.
He, therefore, implored the ministry and government to help alleviate poverty by providing alternative livelihoods to combat deforestation effectively.
In his remarks, Honorable Samuel Abu Jinapor, Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, underscored the urgent need to address global warming and climate change in the country citing various statistics on climate change around the world.
He explained that the Green Ghana project is one of the measures the Government of Ghana has adopted to curb the incessant degradation of our forest, and to contribute to the global fight against climate change, inculcate the values of planting and nurturing plants in the citizenry, and beautify the environment.
Noting previous achievements, Hon. Jinapor revealed that, some 42 million trees, covering 721,000 hectares of forest have been planted across the country since 2017.
He, therefore, called on all to get involved in this year’s green Ghana project, which is scheduled for Friday, June 7, 2024.
In his keynote address delivered by his representative, Naa Bapra Zangbalun Yakubu Mahama, Yaa Naa Abubakari Mahama II, the esteemed overlord of Dagbon applauded the government and pledged his unwavering commitment to championing environmental conservation efforts within the Dagbon kingdom and beyond.
He, therefore, called on his paramount and divisional chiefs to actively participate in the Green Ghana Day.
Among the attendees were Apostle Dr. Samuel Gakpetor, the Chairman of the National Discipleship and Leadership Development Committee (NDLDC), the committee charged with the Environmental Care Campaign of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle John Budu Kobena Tawiah, RCC Coordinator for the Northern Region and Tamale Area Head, Pastor James Magyam, Yendi Area Head, and other ministers in the Tamale Area of the Church.
Others include, government officials, traditional leaders, Forestry Commission representatives, clergy, security personnel, and students.
The Church of Pentecost has over the years been active and at the forefront of ensuring environmental sanitation across the country.
Amongst the numerous interventions put in place by the leadership of the church, led by Apostle Eric Nyamekye, the Chairman, is the Environmental Care Campaign aimed at curbing environmental menace. This emanates from the Vision 2023 of The Church of Pentecost.
This aspect of the vision primarily focuses on community clean-ups, education on the need to keep our environments clean, promulgation and implementation of bye-laws, tree planting and plastic waste management. of society with values and principles of the Kingdom of God.
It is also worth mentioning that the leadership of the church led by Apostle Eric Nyamekye, the Chairman of The Church of Pentecost in 2021 caused 651, 593 trees to be planted across the nation. Out of the number planted 532, 408 trees representing 81.71% survived and are doing very well at various stages.
In June 2022, the Church collaborated with the Forestry Commission of Ghana to plant 898,630 seedlings across the length and breadth of Ghana with 91.95% of the trees planted surviving.
Other aspects of the campaign has been stakeholder consultations and public fora to sensitise the populace on sanitation, handling the plastic waste menance which has resulted in a scheme initiated by the church to ensure ‘buy-back’ of plastic waste by recycling companies. This has also been successful and has become a source of livelihood for some members in the communities.
PENTECOST NEWS.