Western Region to plant 1000 trees in 2026 as green Community Initiative takes off

Madam Rita Naa Odoley Sowah, Deputy Minister of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, has charged Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies(MMDAs), to adopt the Green Community Initiative launched by the Department of Community Development. 

She urged the MMDAs to incorporate the initiative into their 2026-2029 Medium-Term Development Plans. 

Madam Odoley Sowah, who is also the Member of Parliament for La Dadekotopon, said this at the national launch of the Green Community Initiative in Sekondi on the theme “Building Resilient and Sustainable Communities Through Green Economy Development”. 

The event brought together students from Methodist Senior High School, Kansaworodo, and staff of the Department from Accra and Sekondi. 

She said MMDAs would be assessed on measurable indicators including tree survival rate, waste reduction and recycling outcomes, level of community participation, and creation/maintenance of green public spaces. 

The Ministry, she added, would publish a quarterly Green Community Initiative league table to recognize outstanding performance, encourage healthy competition, and support districts facing implementation challenges. 

Mr. Stephen Blay, National Director of the Department of Community Development, said the initiative would build climate-resilient, environmentally conscious communities through sustainable tree planting and greening programmes across all 16 regions. 

The Department aims to plant and sustain two million trees nationwide by end of 2028 to reduce climate vulnerability through afforestation and biodiversity conservation. 

Mr. Blay added that the project would create green economic opportunities for women, youth and local entrepreneurs, and promote environmental education and behavioural change at community and school levels. 

Mr. Joseph Nelson, Western Regional Minister, said despite the region’s economic potential, it faced deforestation, poor waste management, degradation of water bodies, and the impact of illegal mining. 

He said the focus on environmental sustainability, sanitation improvement, and community ownership aligned with the development aspirations of the region and the nation. 

Mr. Timothy Anaba, Coordinator of the Department in Accra, said economic fruit trees would be planted to create jobs and livelihoods for vulnerable groups. 

Two thousand trees would be planted nationwide in 2026, with 1,000 earmarked for the Western Region alone. The Department is targeting 30 million trees in the next 4-5 years. 

Madam Joyce Obiri-Yeboah, Western Regional Director of the Department, said the initiative would beautify the environment, reclaim degraded lands from galamsey, and restore biodiversity and ecotourism. 

Nana Kwesi Agyemang, Paramount Chief of Lower Dixcove Traditional Area and chair of the function, appealed to traditional rulers to protect the land. “When the land is green, it benefits the community,” he said. 

Source: GNA