Rotarians in Ghana have launched the “Rotary Greens Ghana” project with a targetted 100,000 trees each year.

This follows the July 1, 2023, momentous occasion that saw the Ghana Rotary achieving a remarkable milestone through the inauguration of the District 9104 of Rotary International.

The investiture ceremony saw David Osei Amankwah Jnr. been appointed as the first District Governor, overseeing 63 Rotary clubs and 46 Rotaract clubs spread across the sixteen regions of Ghana.

As District Governor, David Osei Amankwah Jnr. pledged to lead transformative and impactful legacy projects that will make a meaningful difference in Ghanaian communities.

Rotary International, a global network of 1.4 million individuals committed to creating lasting change in the world, focuses on seven major areas, including environmental preservation.

Aligned with this commitment, the Rotary District 9104 kickstarted the “Rotary Greens Ghana” initiative at the University of Ghana Sports Directorate grounds in Legon on July 21, 2023. Building upon a previous effort initiated last year, the project aims to plant and sustain a minimum of 100,000 trees annually for the next three years.

However, this initiative goes beyond just planting trees; it seeks to promote comprehensive environmental conservation practices and instil a deep-rooted social behavioural change.

Speaking at the event, District Governor David Amankwah emphasized the importance of fostering environmental consciousness in educational facilities and supporting activities related to conservation and the protection of natural resources. The initiative aims to empower communities by providing access to grants and resources, promoting local solutions, and encouraging innovation to address the causes and mitigate the effects of climate change and environmental degradation.

“ One key proposal we want to put forward is to embark on missions to our educational facilities and emphasize the need to be environmentally conscious, as well as a practice which will strengthen our commitment to supporting activities on conservation and protection of natural resources, advance ecological sustainability, and foster harmony between communities and the environment.”

The District Governor highlighted the significance of a green economy, one where material wealth is not achieved at the expense of environmental degradation and social inequalities.

“…the drive to protect our environment will ensure the sustainability of humanity for centuries to come. The drive for a green economy is no longer a concept of political discourse but an activity of corporate important social responsibility. The greening agenda introduces a new economic paradigm, one in which material wealth is not earned at the cost of growing environmental degradation, ecological destruction, and social disparities. There is mounting evidence that a transition to a green economy has sound economic and social justification”.

“ Rotary International District 9104 has set an ambitious target of planting 100,000 trees in this Rotary year. All Rotary Clubs across the 16 regions of Ghana will be allocated seedlings and tasked to ensure they grow, nurture and preserve the trees on a sustainable basis.”

“We also believe that our efforts alone will not turn the tide. Climate action requires urgent, collective, and coordinated efforts by all young people, including those here who are speaking up louder than ever with voices growing stronger each day. Those voices cannot be ignored.”

“I, therefore, charge each and every one of us here to treat as urgent the crisis that climate change has inflicted upon us. Let us work to ensure our children grow up in a world that is no worse than was handed to us,” he added.

The “Rotary Greens Ghana” initiative seeks to promote sustainability and ensure the prosperity of humanity for generations to come.

To launch the initiative, the Rotary Club of Accra-Ring Road Central and the Rotaract Club of Accra-Ring Road Central planted 300 trees at the University of Ghana Sports Directorate. Over the course of the year, more than 100 Rotary and Rotaract Clubs will collaborate with various entities to drive this environmental conservation effort across the country.

Kwadwo Akrofi Koram, the President of the Rotary Club of Accra-Ring Road Central, expressed the club’s commitment to environmental conservation through their participation in the “Rotary Greens Ghana” initiative of Rotary International District 9104.

Underlining their vision for a greener future, the Rotary Club of Accra-Ring Road Central has set a determined target of planting 1,000 trees as part of their greener future tariff. This tree planting exercise is a significant step towards achieving their goal and contributing to a more sustainable environment.

“The Rotary Club of Accra-Ring Road Central Rotary is undertaking this tree planting exercise as part of the “Rotary Greens Ghana” initiative of Rotary International District 9104. He emphasized that Rotary RRC has the outlook of growing a greener future and significantly, it has set a determined target of planting 1,000 trees as part of its greener future tariff.”

As part of their efforts, the club will organize information-sharing sessions to inspire positive action and create a collective impact on environmental conservation.

“Therefore, the Club will coordinate information-sharing sessions and educate schools, and the community at large; on the benefits of planting trees in our immediate surroundings and protecting the environment at the individual level to aggregate positive results,” he noted.

By actively engaging schools and the community, the Rotary Club of Accra-Ring Road Central seeks to foster a sense of responsibility towards the environment, encouraging everyone to play a role in nurturing and preserving nature. Through their actions, they hope to promote a greener and more sustainable future for the entire community and

The Green Ambassador for Rotary District 9104, Rotarian Hilda Ampadu, outlined the future focus of the initiative, which includes protecting and restoring land, coastal, marine, and freshwater resources.

“The future focus includes protecting and restoring land, coastal, marine, and freshwater resources. By partnering with educational institutions, public and corporate bodies as well as religious organizations  Rotarians in the district hope to address the cause of climate change by reducing the emission of greenhouse gases through the support of educational initiatives that promote behaviour that protects the environment as well as restoration of degraded habitat”.

During the launch of the event, Professor Rosina Kyerematen, representing the Vice Chancellor of the University, warned against the dangers posed by environmental destruction to food security.

On her part, the Member of Parliament for the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency, Lydia Seyram Alhassan, encouraged residents to make the area the greenest in the country, urging everyone to plant trees as a gift to nature and the environment.

Hugh Brown, the Executive Director of the Forest Services Division of the Forestry Commission, commended the Rotary Club for their initiative and urged them to ensure the survival and care of the planted seedlings.

The launch of “Rotary Greens Ghana” marks a significant step towards promoting environmental stewardship and fostering a greener, sustainable future for Ghana.