Mr Emmanuel Omane, the Bawku Municipal Officer of Forestry Commission (FC) has urged organizations, institutions and individuals who planted trees under the 'Green Ghana' Programme, to step up protection and care for the trees to grow.

"We need to sustain the environment and the forest cover, and the Green Ghana programme has provided us the platform to do so."

According to him, his outfit was working in collaboration with stakeholders to restore 2,000 hectares of degraded lands that had been lost in the Bawku enclave in the next five years.

With a target of 20,000 tree seedlings, the Municipality exceeded its target by planting over 21,000 trees, with the Methodist Church planting about 14,000 seedlings while 6,000 trees were planted by Junior High schools and one thousand by individuals in the Municipality, he said.

Mr Omane who spoke in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, reiterated the worrying challenges of poor rainfall and animal browsing as major hurdles to the growth of the trees and called for dedicated efforts by all for the survival of the trees.

The Junior High Schools, which was targeted to plant 6,000 trees went on vacation shortly after the planting of the trees rendering the seedlings susceptible to destruction by animals.

Mr Philip Ayamba, the Director, Community Self Reliance Center, in the Upper East Region, called for the seedlings to be fenced to ensure they were well protected.

Mr Ayamba said his outfit which is affiliated with the Zuuri Organic Farmers Association in Binduri, was yet to approach the Forestry Commission for trees to plant since the rains had set in.

He advised teachers to inculcate in school children the interest and attachment for the trees in their schools by allocating to each child a tree to take care of.