Political parties have reached a consensus to throw their weight behind the Green Republic Project to fight against climate change.
It is a youth-driven grassroots effort to make the country green again by planting 20 million trees by 2028 in response to climate crisis that is threatening human existence and development.
The parties, the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the Convention People’s Party (CPP), Progressive People’s Party (PPP) and the People’s National Convention (PNC) made the commitment at a meeting with officials of the Green Republic Project to discuss climate change issues in Accra.
The meeting held on the theme: ‘Uniting the National Youth front against Climate Change,’ saw the National Youth Organisers of the political parties agree to collaborate with the project to plant trees in order to restore the atmosphere.
Nana Yaw Darkwa, the Convener of the Green Republic Project, said the government should allocate a budget for tree planting to restore trees that had been felled over the years in order to avoid effects of climate change.
“The country should consider the situation as a national crisis and efforts should be made to address it and avoid its dire consequences.
“We need to address the challenge as a natural crisis and not a political issue because planting trees to restore the atmosphere has financial dimension and the government should set aside a budget for the important purpose.
“Climate change is also a national security threat and we must unite to work towards its prevention since it is a national call and we need everyone on board to execute it with a budget allocated for the project,” Nana Darkwa stressed.
Joseph Kwayaja, the Deputy Youth Organiser of NPP, said the citizenry must change their attitude towards the environment and stop felling trees indiscriminately adding that the youth must come together to join the project and plant trees to protect their future.
“It is a good initiative by the Green Republic which must be supported with political parties budgeting for tree planting in our manifestos,” he stressed.
Edem Agbana, the National Youth Organiser of NDC, noted that appropriate legislation must be put in place to deal with tree felling saying, “Proper ‘land use’ policy to direct how to put lands to good use by engaging experts will be essential in dealing with the situation”.
BY MICHAEL D. ABAYATEYE
