The Western North Regional Minister, Wilbert Petty Brentum, has launched the 2026 Tree for Life Initiative in the region, calling on residents to actively participate in efforts to restore degraded forest lands and protect the environment for future generations.
The launch, held as part of this year’s National Tree Planting Day commemoration under the theme “Forest and Economics,” brought together officials from the Forestry Commission, traditional authorities, students, and other stakeholders.
Speaking at the event on June 4, Mr. Brentum disclosed that the national target for this year’s tree planting exercise is 30 million trees across the country. He revealed that the Western North Region, known as one of Ghana’s major forest zones, has been tasked to plant 1.8 million trees.
According to him, forests remain a critical pillar of the country’s economy, supporting livelihoods, protecting biodiversity, and contributing significantly to climate change mitigation.
“The Tree for Life Initiative is not only about planting trees but ensuring that they survive and grow to benefit future generations. We must all see ourselves as custodians of the environment,” he said.
Mr. Brentum urged communities, schools, institutions, and corporate organizations to embrace the initiative and take ownership of the planted trees to guarantee their survival.
The Western North Regional Manager of the Forestry Commission, Mr Bennet Ntiamoah also stressed the need for collective action to combat deforestation, illegal logging, and other activities threatening the country’s forest reserves.
He noted that sustainable forest management remains essential to preserving water bodies, improving agricultural productivity, and creating economic opportunities for local communities.
The Tree for Life Initiative forms part of government’s broader strategy to restore degraded landscapes, increase forest cover, and promote environmental sustainability across the country.
Thousands of seedlings, including indigenous and economic tree species, are expected to be planted across schools, communities, institutions, and forest reserves throughout the region as part of the exercise.
Mr. Ntiamoah urged schoolchildren across the region to actively participate in the Tree for Life Initiative by visiting their respective district forestry offices to collect seedlings for planting.
“I remember when we were all kids, there was this program they run in all schools, that is what motivated me to be a forester. We pick up seedlings, plant and nature them and your teacher will come and inspect them. So, as kids we learn things that stay with you forever and whatever we learn in the house that’s what you are shaped with,” he said.
He encouraged students not only to plant the trees but also to nurture and protect them to ensure their survival, stressing that the future of the environment depends on the commitment of the younger generation.
Authorities are optimistic that the region will meet and possibly exceed its target of 1.8 million trees by the end of the campaign.
By Mathew Ahiaveh
