Pupils plant trees to save the environment
A tree-planting competition has begun in six schools in the Ga West Municipality to sensitise pupils and the community to plant trees in order to meet human needs such as food, shelter, furniture and the challenges of climate change.
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The contest, which is the initiative of the Global Youth In Environmental Sustenance (G-YES), was sponsored by the Forestry Commission Industry Plantation Fund Committee.
The Executive Director of the G-YES, Mr Dieudome Kwame Agudah, said that the theme message for the contest was: “I am for trees. Are you?
He explained that this was chosen to educate individuals on the importance and the benefits of tree planting.
Awards would be won by schools which are able to nurture the planted seedlings a year later.
Pupils from the Epiphany Primary and JHS, Opah M/A Basic One and Two, Divine Intervention Academy and Ayikai-Doblo Basic One and Two were taken through the practical process of planting trees and later planted 25 seedlings in each of the five schools, bringing the total of trees planted to 175. Since the seedlings are in the competing schools the pupils would have to nurture them to become trees in a year.
Mr Agudah said the initiative was taken to get children to cultivate the habit of caring for trees and plants, which so many people ignore despite the fact that they help humans in varied ways.
He encouraged all children and members of the public to protect trees by replacing all those that are felled to make the environment safe from natural disasters.
Sharing her experience after the event, a pupil of a Divine Intervention Academy, Miss Yusuraa Abdullai said ensuring that trees were protected was good since they contributed to the inhalation and exhalation processes of human beings.
Master Nathaniel Ohenedjan also from the same school said: “I’m glad I have taken part in this exercise because we can derive medicine from these trees, which will help improve our health and provide us with shelter.”