Prez Mahama launches ‘Tree for Life’ reforestation initiative 2025

President John Dramani Mahama, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to restoring Ghana’s natural environment with the official launch of a nationwide commemorative tree planting exercise under the Tree for Life Reforestation Initiative.

Speaking at a special ceremony at Kwabenya Senior High School on Thursday, President Mahama described the exercise as “a historic national task that reflects our collective duty to restore degraded landscapes and safeguard the environment for future generations.”

This year’s 'Tree for Life Reforestation Initiative 2025 was being observed under the theme “Restoring Degraded Landscapes Across the Country”, with a specific focus on ending plastic pollution and boosting national reforestation efforts.

President Mahama announced that the tree planting exercise—part of the broader Tree for Life campaign he launched earlier in March at Nkawie in the Ashanti Region—officially kicks off today, June 5, and will run until June 30, 2025.

The goal, he said, is to plant 30 million trees across all regions of Ghana within the period.

“Let this not be just a ceremony, but a national call to action,” the President urged.

"Each tree we plant today is a living investment in the future of our country—cooling our cities, protecting our rivers, reclaiming our soils, and lifting our spirits.”

He also used the occasion to unveil a new flagship environmental initiative—One Tree Per Child—which mandates that every school-aged Ghanaian will be supported to plant and nurture a tree.

Under the program, students will receive seedlings of native species suited to their regions, with guidance from teachers, traditional leaders, and local environmental officers.

President Mahama stressed that these initiatives are part of a larger environmental policy agenda rolled out since his return to office in December 2024, including the creation of a Ministry of Climate Change and Sustainability, the adoption of a National Plastics Management Policy, and a strengthened Solid Waste Management Strategy aimed at cutting plastic landfill waste by 60% by 2030.

The President praised communities, faith groups, and private enterprises already supporting the green transition, noting impressive gains in recycling rates and innovative reuse of plastics.

He also called on various stakeholders—government ministries, local assemblies, development partners, and the private sector—to play active roles in supporting green ventures, enforcing regulations, and championing the Extended Producer Responsibility scheme.

“Plastic pollution and deforestation are not separate crises—they share a common root: a neglect of environmental values. Our duty is to correct that,” he said.

The event at Kwabenya SHS saw participation from ministers of state, members of the diplomatic corps, traditional leaders, students, environmental activists, and civic organizations.

President Mahama concluded his address with a stirring message of unity and hope: “When every child plants and protects a tree, that tree becomes a symbol of our shared future—green, prosperous, and just.”

He encouraged every Ghanaian to make a personal pledge: “I will not litter; I will reduce my plastic use; I will plant and care for a tree.”

The commemorative tree planting exercise is expected to continue throughout the month with regional festivals, national clean-up campaigns, and the introduction of a Green Innovation Expo to highlight Ghana-made solutions to environmental challenges.

Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith