The Ashanti Region Manager of Forestry Commission, Mr. Augustine Gyedu has assured that with the engagement of 10,000 youth in afforestation under the government’s Youth in afforestation programme, Kumasi will soon regain its status as the Garden city of West Africa.
According to him, over 10,000 youth have been engaged in the Ashanti region in the programme in various Forest Districts, which includes;Juaso, Offinso,Kumawu, Bekwai, Mampong, New Adubiase, Mankranso and Nkawie.
He made the observations when the Youth in Afforestation Programme (YAP) in the Ashanti region organised a ‘Thank You Float’ in honour of the President, Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo and the Forestry Commission.
The Forestry official indicated that over 1,500 people were engaged in the Kumasi Metropolis alone, to undertake tree planting to green the city and also establish nurseries to supply seedlings to the various planting sites in the Ashanti region.
He stated that the programme has created opportunities for all categories of the youth in Ghana as graduates who were engaged as Supervisors (diploma level) engaged as Assistant Supervisors and Senior High, Junior High schools and others as Field Assistants.
Mr. Gyedu indicated that the programme, apart from creating jobs for over 60,000 youth has yielded results, adding that in the Ashanti Region, over 3,500 hectares of degraded forest lands have been planted up with various species including Mahogany, Ofram, Emire and Teak among others.
He revealed that about 1,500 hectares of Outside Forest Reserve areas in schools, along water bodies, along roadsides, within open spaces in communities, including Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly have seen tree planting activities.
He was of the view that the Garden City is gradually coming alive through the efforts of the YAP beneficiaries.
According to him, it is worth noting that the YAP, especially in Ashanti Region, has played its role when it comes to food security.
Mr. Osei AsibeyAntwi, the Mayor of Kumasi, lauded the initiative which is meant to restore our forests and create jobs for the youth in fulfillment of the President’s promise to create jobs for the teaming unemployed youth.
The KMA boss disclosed that each hectare of the 3,500 being planted by the beneficiaries can boast of 1,200 plants, hence the need for the President to be given another four years to enable the youth plant more to save our forests and water bodies.
He reiterated that the Garden City is bouncing back and coming into reality because of the Youth in afforestation programme, which he said would help improve climate change through the visionary leader of Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo.
The post Kumasi To Regain Garden City Status Soon – FC appeared first on The Chronicle Online.
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