By: Belinda Nketia
The Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, has criticized the previous government’s tree-planting efforts, calling them a costly and unaccountable initiative.
In an interview with GBC, Dr. Murtala Muhammed criticized the previous administration’s afforestation efforts, saying: “The previous administration spent millions of Ghana cedis in planting trees, yet nobody can see those trees. I’ll say it unapologetically that it was just an avenue to rob the state.”
He questioned the transparency of the project, adding, “If you claim you planted 5 million trees, we should be seeing evidence of those trees.”
Dr. Murtala Muhammed also stated that each seedling, according to his understanding had a price tag of 200 Ghana cedis. He further noted that even the Auditor-General is aware that the seedlings had price tags. “So it was not free,” he noted.
To address these concerns and foster transparency, the minister outlined plans to involve school-going children and out-of-school youth in future tree-planting efforts. He advised parents to ensure their children are in school, as it aligns with the government’s Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education (FCUBE) policy.
“We intend to achieve results in a transparent and accountable governance space by making our work visible for every ordinary person to investigate and establish whether we have indeed planted the trees or not,” he added.
Ghana’s tree-planting initiatives are part of a broader national strategy to combat deforestation and land degradation, while addressing climate change.
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