MLNR-PR UPDATES
The government has initiated the 2026 edition of the Tree for Life Reforestation Initiative, with the goal of planting 30 million tree seedlings nationally, following the successful planting of nearly 31 million trees in 2025.
The event took place at Accra’s West Africa Senior High School, which was also celebrating World Environment Day. The event was hosted with the global theme “Inspired by Nature. For Climate.” “For Our Future,” and the Tree for Life theme, “Forests and Economies.”
The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources and Acting Minister for Environment, Science and Technology, Honourable Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, addressed the gathering on Friday, June 5, 2026, and stated that the two themes highlight the tight relationship between environmental protection and economic development.
He emphasised that forests support agriculture, provide jobs, protect water supplies, and make major contributions to climate resilience and sustainable growth.
The Minister warned that rising temperatures, unpredictable rainfall, flooding, droughts, coastal erosion, and dwindling forest cover are only a few of the consequences of climate change that Ghana is still facing.
Hon. Buah emphasised that climate change is a current reality that calls for swift and coordinated action rather than a threat for the future.
He noted that more than 31 million trees were planted nationwide in 2025 thanks to the efforts of government agencies, educational institutions, traditional authorities, civil society organisations, development partners, and the private sector, showcasing the successes of the Tree for Life initiative.
Hon. Buah underlined that maintaining the survival of trees must take precedence above merely planting them.
He urged organisations and individuals to care for and safeguard the trees they plant, saying, “The true measure of success is not the number of seedlings planted but the number of trees that survive and mature.”
The Forestry Commission Stresses the Economic Benefits of Forests
About 20% of Ghanaians rely either directly or indirectly on forest resources, according to Hugh Brown, Chief Executive of the Forestry Commission, who stated that woods continue to play a significant role in the country’s economy and way of life.
He revealed that about 23,600 hectares of degraded landscapes were restored, and roughly 31 million seedlings were planted as part of the 2025 Tree for Life initiative.
He called on all Ghanaians to take part in this year’s exercise and to support initiatives to use sustainable forest management to fight illegal mining, deforestation, and forest degradation.
EPA Demands Tougher Environmental Enforcement and Action
Speaking on behalf of Prof. Nana Ama Brown Klutse, Chief Executive Officer of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), Dr. Jacob Paarechuga Anankware, Deputy CEO in charge of General Services, outlined the Tree for Life initiative as a practical response to environmental degradation and climate change.
He stated that while encouraging sustainable waste management, the EPA would keep stepping up its efforts to combat unlawful mining, pollution, and environmental deterioration.
In an effort to combat plastic pollution, he also reaffirmed the January 1, 2027, ban on takeaway packaging made of polystyrene and polystyrene.
UNDP Reiterates Climate Resilience Support
Ghana has now planted nearly 30 million trees under the Tree for Life project, according to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), which praised the nation for its dedication to environmental restoration and climate action.
The organization also emphasised Ghana’s goal of repairing two million hectares of degraded landscapes by 2030 and promised to keep funding initiatives that support sustainable livelihoods, climate resilience, and forest restoration.
President John Dramani Mahama introduced the Tree for Life Reforestation Initiative in 2025 at Nkawie in the Ashanti Region as a flagship national initiative to boost Ghana’s reaction to climate change, rehabilitate degraded areas, and expand forest cover.
Source: newsthemegh.com