The Jimi River remains a major source of water supply for the Akrofuom District, Obuasi township and its adjoining communities.
Over the years, the River has been destroyed by illegal activities such as mining, felling of trees, burning, farming and others, exposing it to direct sunshine.
The Akrofuom District Assembly led by Chief Executive Maurice Jonas Woode has teamed up with mining giants AngloGold Ashanti to grow more trees along the banks of the river to protect it.
The event was to mark this year’s edition of Green Ghana Day.
The Green Ghana Day introduced in 2021 by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is part of an aggressive national afforestation/reforestation programme to restore the lost forest cover of Ghana and to contribute to the global effort to mitigate climate change. The maiden edition was held on June 11 2021 when an estimated 7million tree seedlings were planted across the nation.
Vegetation on the shoreline, combined with the meandering curves of the stream or river, helps dissipate stream energy, resulting in less soil erosion and flood damage.
According to DCE Jonas Woode, the Jimi Dam operated by AngloGold Ashanti as the main source of water to the Mine and the communities within the mine, is important hence there was the need to protect it by growing more trees.
“This will also help in making sure that the water body does not dry up.”
He lauded the President for instituting the Green Ghana Day, saying it has presented an opportunity to show patriotism, exhibit commitment to the protection of the forest resources, and to demonstrate the resolve to leave children with a richer and greener Ghana.
He said the District is aiming at growing 30,000 seedlings this year with most of them distributed to the various electoral areas, schools and churches within the district.
The DCE again mentioned that the Assembly in collaboration with the Forestry Department has rolled out mechanism to protect the seedlings that have been planted since the programme was introduced in 2021, and pledged that those that will be distributed this year will also be protected to serve their purpose.
On his part, the Bekwai District Manager of the Forestry Commission, Rexford Twum-Damoah, mentioned that the department has taken stock of coconut, mango, orange and other seedlings and entreated residents of Akrofuom to come to their offices for them to plant.
He seized the opportunity to caution those who illegally cut down trees to desist from such act since the Forestry Department are prepared to clamp down on those who indulge in such acts.
