The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), led by its Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) – Vice Admiral (V/Adm) Seth Amoama, have planted five hundred (500) tree seedlings to commemorate the 2023 Green Ghana Campaign – an aggressive national afforestation and reforestation program aimed at restoring Ghana’s lost forest cover and to inculcate the habit of tree planting and nurturing amongst Ghanaians.

The event took place at the Juba Ridge, Burma Camp, Accra, on Friday 9 June 2023, with the CDS supported by the Chief of the Army Staff – Major General (Maj Gen) Thomas Oppong-Peprah, the Chief of the Air Staff – Air Vice Marshal Frederick Bekoe, Chief of Staff, General Headquarters – Maj Gen Nicholas Peter Andoh, and Commodore Emmanuel Ayesu Kwafo (representing the Chief of the Naval Staff), Formation Commanders, Senior Officers, Officers, Soldiers and Civilian Defence Staff.In a speech marking the occasion, the CDS directed Commanders of all Garrisons of GAF to take active part in the tree-planting exercise, and also pointed to the fact that GAF, through Operation HALT II continues to play a key role in the government’s efforts to curb illegal mining and its effects of massive land degradation.

To measure full participation at all levels, Admiral Amoama directed Commanders to submit Progress Reports, and charged all personnel of GAF to jealously nurture the trees planted and those previously planted, in order to provide the needed forest cover desired, as he attributed trees to inspiring wonder and providing relaxation and the oxygen needed by all humans to survive.The five hundred (500) tree seedlings planted at the Juba Ridge, Burma Camp, were thrusted into the trust of the Air Force Base, Accra, as the Defence Chief urged all Garrisons under his command, to liaise with government Ministries, Department and Agencies, to contribute their part to the national exercise. At the Tema Naval Base of Ghana Navy’s Eastern Naval Command (ENC), the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) – Commodore Maxwell Arhen, led his Staff to plant varied species of tree seedings, as part of GAF’s efforts in marking the Green Ghana Day.The 2023 edition of the Green Ghana Day was launched on Wednesday 17 May 2023 by the Asantehene Otumfuo Oseitutu II at the Great Hall of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, under the theme: “Our Forest Our Health”.

The Green Ghana Campaign was instituted by the government of Ghana in 2021 by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, spearheaded by the Commander-In-Chief of GAF, and is said to have so far planted 31 million trees, with an aim of restoring Ghana’s lost forest cover and contributing to the global effort of fighting Climate Change.

The 2023 edition of the tree-planting expedition, has Ghana’s Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources providing ten million tree seedlings of various species to be planted across the country, adding to the over 30 million trees which have been already planted, since the institution of the Green Ghana Day.