2023 Green Ghana Project Committee seeks additional funding despite GH¢2.5m budget

The Chairman of the 2023 Green Ghana Project, Benito Owusu-Bio, has expressed concerns over the inadequate budget of GH¢2.5 million allocated for this year's project.

Owusu-Bio emphasized the need for support from the private sector to achieve the target of planting 10 million trees.

During an interview with Citi News after the launch of the 2023 Green Ghana Project, Owusu-Bio appealed for additional funds, stating, “Last year we got in excess of GH¢2 million, so this year, we expect that with the pledges and commitments, we will get something to shore up.”

The government aims to plant 10 million trees in 2023, which is a reduction from the previous year's target of 20 million trees.

Samuel Abu Jinapor, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, explained the factors that contributed to the government's inability to meet last year's target.

“On the maiden edition of the Green Ghana Day, we targeted 5 million trees and with your support, over 7 million trees were planted. Last year, we raised our ambition and targeted at least 20 million trees, and again, with your support, 24 million trees were planted, bringing the total number of trees planted to over 30 million trees,” said Jinapor.

He highlighted that external factors such as rainfall patterns, wildfires, and soil fertility affected the survival rates of the planted trees.

In light of these challenges, the government has decided to revise this year's target to 10 million trees to allow sufficient resources and attention for the nurturing of previously planted trees and the restoration of degraded landscapes.

The theme for this year's Green Ghana Day is ‘Our Forests, Our Health,' emphasizing the importance of preserving forests for the well-being of the nation.

The funding constraints faced by the 2023 Green Ghana Project underscore the significance of collective efforts from various sectors to support the country's reforestation goals and promote environmental sustainability.