Mr. Osei Assibey-Antwi, the Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE) of Kumasi has accounted a total of 938, 000 exotic and indigenous tree seedlings of different species planted under the ‘Keep Kumasi Clean and Green (KKCG)’ project.
According to the MCE, Two thousand of those seedlings, comprising only of coconut species were planted along water bodies and some ceremonial streets within the metropolis.
The Forestry Research Institute of Ghana (FORIG) of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, provided the majority of the seedlings as part of efforts to boost the vegetation cover of the metropolis, once touted as the ‘Garden City of West Africa’.
Mr. Assibey-Antwi, who was addressing a meeting of the Metropolitan Assembly in Kumasi, said the tree species planted included ‘mahogany’, ‘ofram’, royal palm’, ‘emire’ and ‘kusia’.
In response to the changing climatic conditions, the Assembly had in the last two years been implementing the KKCG project to enhance the ecology, while providing the requisite forest cover to absorb the carbon emitted into the atmosphere due to industrial activities.
The project had so far, received an overwhelming support from traditional authorities, professionals, civil society organizations and corporate organizations.
Kumasi, which is Ghana’s oldest city, was given the accolade as the ‘Garden City of West Africa’ by Queen Elizabeth of England, upon her visit to the country in the early 1960s.
Mr. Assibey-Antwi indicated that they were determined to bring back the abundant flora and fauna which decorated the city in the past, giving it a beautiful scenery that served as an attraction to many tourists and visitors.
He said currently, about seven major streams, including ‘Wewe’, ‘Subin’, ‘Asuoyeboa’ and ‘Akose’ all take their source from the metropolis, and for that reason the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) would continue to provide the needed protection to those water bodies.
The MCE lauded the Kumasi Rotary Club, led by Nana Poku Agyemang, for their decision to adopt the KMA wetlands, and invited other humanitarian-based institutions to also come on board in helping the Assembly to realize its vision.
