Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, King Charles III collaborate to reclaim Ghana’s lands destroyed by galamsey

The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has entered into an agreement with King Charles III to restore Ghana's degraded lands and forest reserves.

Technical teams from the UK and Ghana will hold meetings to discuss strategies for land reclamation in the aftermath of illegal mining activities.

The collaboration aims to develop policies that will guide the restoration efforts.

During private discussions at King Charles III's coronation in the UK, the Asantehene and the British monarch agreed to plant trees as a means to reduce carbon emissions.

Emphasizing the importance of conserving forest reserves and combating land degradation, Otumfuo spoke at the Green Ghana Day launch held at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi.

“Trees contribute significantly to environmental protection, climate change mitigation, and improve livelihoods for members of fringe communities. They are also home to millions of wildlife that contribute to the sustainability of the earth,” he stated.

King Charles III has a strong commitment to environmental protection and climate change mitigation.

Even before the government's initiative to restore Ghana's endangered lands and forest reserves through tree planting, the Asantehene has been actively involved in tree planting within the Ashanti region.

In 2019, 2.5 million trees were planted on a 4,000-hectare land in support of Lake Bosomtwe's protection.

Highlighting his dedication to tree planting and recognizing the significance of trees, the Asantehene mentioned his teak plantation of approximately 640 acres in Kumawu.

“I am collaborating with the Forestry Commission to plant more trees in various compartments I have in the region,” he affirmed.

Despite the Ashanti region's commendable efforts in planting over 7 million trees, the highest among all regions, illegal small-scale mining remains a major challenge.

The Nkawie Forestry District in the Ashanti region recorded the highest number of seedlings planted during the 2022 Green Ghana Day.

Addressing the launch of the third edition of Green Ghana Day, John Allotey, CEO of the Forestry Commission, revealed that 81% and 72% of trees planted in 2021 and 2022, respectively, survived.

He also mentioned that the last edition focused on planting more indigenous tree species, with 35% of the seedlings being planted in forest reserves.

“All these efforts help increase the percentage of economic timber species planted over the two years to 75%,” he added.