A short ceremony was held on Friday, June 10, 2022 at the Centre for National Culture, Ho to observe the 2022 Edition of Green Ghana Day.  Togbe Drake Tsigbe IV, Paramount Chief of Akoefe Traditional Area chaired the occasion which had the participation of the Volta Regional Minister, Regional Heads of Department and Agency, Regional Heads of Security Services, Religious Leaders, Staff of the Volta Regional Co-ordinating Council, Members of the Media and students of Holy Spirit School.

In his acceptance speech as the Chairman for the occasion, Togbe Drake Tsigbe IV stated that as Chiefs and custodians of the land, they were doing their best to ensure that the environment is preserved for the current and future generations. He underscored the importance of the tree planting project H.E. the President had introduced. He therefore indicated that as part of the celebration of his next anniversary as the Paramount Chief, he would in July 2022 plant two thousand (2,000) tree seedlings in his Traditional Area.

In his welcome remarks, the Volta Regional Manager of the Forest Services Division, of the Forestry Commission, Mr. B. Manso-Howard urged everyone in attendance to plant trees in their backyards, schools, churches, and workplaces in order that Mother Ghana could maintain the greener nature that God intended for her.

He also implored pupils present to have the desire to plant trees not only in Ghana, but wherever they may be, as trees have global significance and global benefits.

The Director of Eco-Tourism and Stakeholder Relations at the Forestry Commission, Dr. Richard Gyimah on his part stated that the theme, “Mobilising for a Greener Future” for the 2022 Edition Celebration reminded all present that they are part of the mobilisation in terms of resources, human capacity, and logistics toward making Ghana greener.

He therefore implored everyone to join forces to make Green Ghana Day a success since Government cannot do it alone.

Addressing the ceremony, the Hon. Regional Minister, Dr. Archibald Yao Letsa stated that the participation of the stakeholders present in the tree planting exercise demonstrated the collective willingness and determination to address the climate change issues being faced.

Dr. Letsa encouraged participants to take personal interest in planting and nurturing trees beyond the occasion of the Green Ghana Day while checking the indiscriminate and excessive felling of trees.

He indicated that the Region was determined to exceed its set target of planting six hundred thousand (600,000) tree seedlings across the Region in 2022 with the collective participation and support of all the people of the Region.

He seized the opportunity to urge the Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission to step up efforts to put an end to any illegal activity taking place in any part of the region that endanger the survival of wildlife especially in Forest Reserves.

Dr. Letsa concluded, “Let us be resolved to be judged favourably by posterity that we did our best through our actions such as this in restoring and protecting the vegetative cover of our dear nation”

The Hon. Regional Minster and other dignitaries took turns to plant tree seedlings to mark the celebration.

After the ceremony, the Hon. Regional Minister, officials of the Forestry Commission, the Regional Security Heads and some Regional Heads of Department and Agency visited  the tree planting sites of the Church of Pentecost at the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) and that of the  66 Artillery Regiment at the Barracks, Ho.

His Excellency the President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo introduced the Green Ghana Day in 2021 where five million (5,000,000) trees were planted. His Excellency the President launched the 2022 Edition of the Green Ghana Day on 1^st March 2022 with a target of Ghanaians planting twenty million (20,000,000) trees.

The objectives of the Green Ghana Day include creating enhanced national awareness on the necessity for collective action towards restoration of degraded landscape across the country; inculcating in the youth the value of planting and nurturing trees and their associated benefits; protecting watersheds; enhancing livelihoods of communities through the engagement in the production of tree seedlings, as well as, beautifying communities and the environment.