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The President of the Republic of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama, on Friday, March 21, 2025, launched the ‘Tree for Life’ initiative, which is the government’s flagship afforestation and agro-forestry programme.
The initiative will see the government, through its agencies, distribute seven million seedlings of ornamental and food crops for planting by various government agencies, the private sector, and the general public.
The Tree for Life initiative seeks to raise awareness about the importance of trees in protecting the environment, combat the effects of climate change, restore lands and rivers degraded by galamsey activities, and instill in Ghanaian youth a spirit and desire to protect the environment.
Addressing a gathering of chiefs, government officials and residents at Nkawie in the Ashanti Region, President Mahama disclosed that his commitment to environmental protection can be seen in his directive to the Minister of Environment to commence the process for the repeal of LI 2462, which empowers the President to unilaterally grant authorization for mining activities in forest reserves.
President John Mahama stated that the government’s efforts to protect the country’s environment are not typified solely by the fight against galamsey but also by land reclamation efforts.
“Alongside the fight against illegal mining, we shall begin the difficult work of reclaiming degraded lands. A pilot project by a private group has successfully restored 16 hectares of land. The intention is to scale this up to 500 acres of reclaimed land a year. And we aim, in the short term, to reclaim at least 10,000 hectares of land,” he said.
President Mahama stated that the ‘Tree for Life’ initiative forms part of the government’s holistic efforts to repair river bodies that have been damaged by the activities of illegal mining.
He disclosed that Ghana will start the exportation of Forest Law Enforcement, Governance, and Trade (FLEGT)-licensed timber by June 2025, which is a feather in the cap of the country’s climate change actions.
He is confident that the measures being implemented by the government will help the country achieve the objectives of the Paris Agreement, which is a commitment by various countries to limit average global temperatures to below 2°C above pre-industrial levels.
“The Tree for Life initiative aligns with our national and international commitments. It complements the Blue Water Initiative, which was launched to rehabilitate and revitalize polluted water bodies. By June 30, 2025, Ghana will export its first batch of FLEGT-licensed timber to the European Union.
“And FLEGT stands for Forest Law Enforcement, Governance, and Trade. This will make Ghana the first African country, and the second in the world after Indonesia, to achieve this. This milestone is a testament to our commitment to sustainable forest management. The FLEGT action plan allows only FLEGT-licensed timber to be imported into the European Union. This is an EU initiative aimed at combating illegal logging and promoting sustainable forest management.
“Ghana remains committed to the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals. As we approach the 2030 deadline, we must accelerate our efforts to meet our climate and biodiversity targets. Ladies and gentlemen, the Tree for Life reforestation initiative is not just about peace. It is about hope. It is about resilience. It is about a sustainable future,” President Mahama said.
Providing an overview of the Tree for Life policy, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, touted the timeliness of the intervention as perfect, as it furthers global efforts toward the protection of the ecology.
He stated that the government, as part of the initiative, will embark on a massive sensitization drive to educate Ghanaians about the importance of trees to society.
The Ellembelle MP issued a clarion call to all Ghanaians and the diplomatic community to come on board and ensure the success of the initiative.
“The Forestry Commission and collaborating institutions will provide seedlings to all who wish to participate in this tree-planting exercise. The success of this initiative hinges on the collective efforts of every Ghanaian. I also invite our Development Partners to support this government initiative. Let us all rise to the challenge, plant trees, nurture them, and ensure that Ghana becomes a beacon of environmental resilience.”
Beyond the protection of the environment, the Lands Minister touted the potential of the initiative to serve as a job creation platform that will help reduce the unemployment rate in the country.
“Additionally, we intend to collaborate with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to create sustainable jobs through alternative livelihood interventions in fish farming, pig farming, apiculture, and agroforestry schemes, improving rural livelihoods and food security,” he said.
The Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr. Frank Amoakohene, lauded the initiative and assured the full cooperation of the Ashanti Region.
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