Mr Phanuel Kadey Donkor, Adaklu District Chief Executive, to know that the trees they were planting as part of Green Ghana belong to the state and not the government.

"I want to assure you that the trees you are planting are for you, the government has no intention of taking them over in the future," he said.

Mr Donkor gave the assurance at Adaklu Waya during a symbolic tree planting exercise to mark the start of Green Ghana.

Forty coconuts and some tree seedlings were planted by Mr. Donkor, Rev. Fred Agbogbo, Presiding Member of the Assembly, Mr. Eli Tsikata, District Coordinating Director, Heads of Decentralized Departments, Assembly members, and a representative of Togbe Gbogbi Atsa V, Paramount Chief of Adaklu Traditional Area, to mark the day.

Mr Donkor said the Assembly and the Forestry Commission would distribute 10,000 tree seedlings to interested individuals, schools, churches, and organizations in the district for planting.

He said the tree seedlings include Odum, mahogany, teak, acacia, neem, ofram, coconut, and cashew.

Mr Donkor said the seedlings if well nurtured would not only generate income but also serve as windbreaks for communities.

He noted that it would also help change the erratic rainfall pattern, which he said was partly due to destroying of the vegetative cover.

The DCE said the Assembly in 2017 planted 20 acres of cashew and six acres of coconut which it hoped to expand soon.

He also disclosed that the Assembly, in collaboration with the Ministry of Local Government, had planted 1,000 tree seedlings each, of different spices at Adaklu Anfoe, Adaklu Avedzi, and Adaklu Waya.

Mr Donkor assured that the Assembly would liaise with the District's Directorate of Agriculture to cart the seedlings to the various communities.

He appealed to Assembly members, chiefs, religious and opinion leaders to educate the people on the need to green the district.

Mr Donkor also appealed to landowners in the district to release lands to the Assembly and investors to enable them to undertake projects that would be brought to the district.

The DCE advised the people to take good care of the seedlings and urged them to support and sustain the programme.