SISSALA EAST MUNICIPALITY TO PLANT 170,000 TREES UNDER “TREE FOR LIFE” INITIATIVE
The Sissala East Municipal Assembly has commemorated the second edition of the “Tree for Life” Reforestation Initiative at the assembly’s forecourt in Tumu, with a call on residents to view environmental conservation as a strategic economic investment. The event, which was held under the national theme “Forest and Economics,” highlighted the critical link between environmental sustainability and the economic prosperity of agrarian communities.
Addressing stakeholders at the gathering, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) Hon. Adamu Yakubu for the Sissala East Municipal Assembly emphasized that forests are vital economic assets that contribute heavily to local livelihoods, employment generation, food security, and agricultural productivity. In a municipality where agriculture serves as the backbone of the local economy, the MCE warned that the economic fallout of environmental degradation—manifested through reduced crop yields, fertile land loss, and intense droughts—directly threatens the prosperity of the people.
The “Tree for Life” Reforestation Initiative was originally launched nationally on May 19, 2026, at the Achimota Forest Reserve in Accra by the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources on behalf of the President. The national campaign targets the planting of 30 million trees across Ghana. Out of the 300,000 trees allocated as a target for the Upper West Region, the Tumu Forest Division is expected to contribute an impressive 170,000 trees. To mark the local commemoration, a highly coordinated exercise was carried out based on the official program outline.
Representatives from all attending institutions and traditional authorities were made to plant a ceremonial tree each and tasked with nurturing them to full maturity. Initial commemorative trees were planted directly at the forecourt of the municipal assembly by key local figures and institutions, including the Tumu Kuoro, the Municipal Chief Executive, the Forest Services Division, and the Wildlife Division. Public, health, and security services also participated extensively in the planting exercise, with ceremonial trees planted by the Ghana Education Service, Ghana Health Service, Department of Agriculture, Environmental Protection Agency, the Police Commander, Ghana National Fire Service, Ghana Armed Forces, National Investigations Bureau, Ghana Immigration Service, Lands Commission, NADMO, and the NHIA. Religious and community leaders joined the effort, represented by the Chief Imam, the Roman Catholic Church, Church of Pentecost, Methodist Church Ghana, Presbyterian Church Ghana, and Fountain Gate.
Local media houses, including RADFORD FM, Sissala Radio, and Nibaala FM, were also actively involved in planting commemorative trees.
The remaining seedlings from the allocation were systematically distributed to senior high, technical, and tertiary institutions across the area, including the Tumu College of Education, Midwifery Training College, Tumu Senior High Technical, Kantong Senior High School, and St. Claire Vocational Institute. The rest of the seedlings were dispatched to other designated areas across the municipality to continue the mass planting exercise. The MCE assured the Forestry Commission and all collaborating partners of the assembly’s unwavering support to advance climate resilience, reminding citizens that the true success of the initiative lies not in the number of seedlings planted, but in the number of trees that survive.
By Bashiru Nuhu Bapagu