The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast (UCC), Prof. Johnson Nyarko Boampong, says the University has chalked up a major feat in its Green Campus Project with over 90% success in the survival of trees planted on the University’s campus. This, he noted, was per the assessment of the Forestry Commission.

Prof. Nyarko-Boampong made the announcement when he led staff and students of the University to plant trees on the University campus as part of Green Ghana Day held across the country.

The tree planting exercise, which took place at Hilltop, was carried out in partnership with the Forestry Commission.

Pro Vice-Chancellor of UCC, Prof. (Mrs.) Rosemond Boohene watering a seedling she planted during the Green Ghana Day event

Among the seedlings planted were Ofram, Cedrella, Plant of Life, Teak, and Mahogany.

For the fourth year running, UCC has embarked on the tree planting exercise to replace destroyed trees in an aggressive national afforestation effort.

Prof. Boampong underscored the importance of trees to the well-being of all and said it was important that all participants committed to nurturing the trees to survive.

He stressed the need to conserve the environment through tree planting and indicated how beneficial trees are to human survival particularly noting the production of oxygen, food, leisure, fighting erosion and serving as windbreaks.

The Vice-Chancellor added that trees enhance the quality of air for human beings to survive and as a result, the annual Green Ghana Day event was an initiative that has come to be a part of the University’s calendar.

Some staff members of the Directorate of Public Affairs-UCC in a pose during the tree planting exercise

He admonished the citizenry to cultivate the habit of planting more trees in their communities to improve life.

According to Prof. Nyarko Boampong, the University has planted about 230, 000 plants spanning four years.

“... in the first edition, 60,000 trees were planted, while 50,000 and 60,000 tree seedlings were planted in 2022 and 2023 respectively. This year, another set of 60, 000 seedlings are being planted”.

The Central Regional Manager of the Forestry Commission, Mr. Bennet Ntiamoah, who led a team from his outfit to join the exercise, noted that the region was tipped to exceed the projected number of 600, 000 seedlings to be planted for 2024. He said the region was doing close to 1000,000 trees distributed across the various districts to be planted.

Head of the Department of Environmental Science, Dr. Ernest Kofi Amankwa Afrifa with students of his department at the tree planting exercise

Mr. Ntiamoah was optimistic that these plants would be nurtured to offer the intended importance attached to the Green Ghana Day Project.

Participating institutions included the Ghana Police Service, West Coast Wooden Products Ghana Limited from Twifo Praso and the Media.

The Central Regional Police Commander, DCOP Charles Kofi Adu, along with other UCC top officials took turns to plant a tree to mark the day.

Source: Documentation and Information Section-UCC