In a landmark move to restore Ghana’s degraded forests and fight illegal mining, President John Dramani Mahama has officially launched the ‘Tree for Life’ Reforestation Initiative at Nkawie in the Ashanti Region.
The initiative, which was inaugurated on the occasion of the International Day of Forests, is a strategic national effort aimed at reversing deforestation, rehabilitating degraded lands, and ensuring long-term environmental sustainability.
“This year’s theme, “forest and food,” reminds us that forests are not just landscapes of trees, but vital sources of sustenance, economic prosperity, and environmental stability. They provide us with food, medicine, clean air, water, and many others. And yet for many decades, we have taken trees for granted.”
The event marked a significant moment in Ghana’s environmental policy, as President Mahama underscored the devastating effects of deforestation and illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey, on the country’s forests, water bodies, and agricultural lands.
The President’s speech painted a stark picture of the current crisis while also outlining bold solutions to restore Ghana’s environment.
President Mahama, in his remarks, revealed staggering statistics on forest loss both globally and locally, pointing out that between 1990 and 2020, the world lost 420 million hectares of forest, an area approximately 17 times the land size of Ghana. Within Ghana itself, nearly 60% of the country’s forest cover has been lost since 1950.
President Mahama also noted that 44 out of the country’s 288 forest reserves have been invaded by illegal miners, with nine of these reserves becoming no-go areas, where armed groups resist law enforcement efforts.
According to President Mahama, the consequences of this destruction have been catastrophic, with Ghana’s rivers turning brown due to heavy pollution and farmlands being lost to illegal mining activities.
“One of the most alarming reports is the report from the Water Resources Commission that indicates that the turbidity level in the Southwestern Water Basin is between 17,000 NTUs. This is a measure of what they call turbidity –If you take water, it’s supposed to flow like a liquid. And the turbidity level of any water should be less than 5,000 NTU. But if it’s at 12,000 NTU, then it means it is not water but something else.”
This, the President explained, meant that much of Ghana’s water was no longer safe for consumption or agricultural use.
To address this crisis, President Mahama unveiled the “Tree for Life” Initiative, which forms a key pillar of his administration’s 120-day social contract with the people of Ghana.
For him, ulike previous tree-planting campaigns that focused only on numbers, this initiative prioritizes sustainability, ensuring that planted trees thrive and provide long-term benefits.
The “Tree for Life” Initiative according to President Mahama will restore degraded lands affected by illegal mining and deforestation, and engage traditional leaders, local communities, and youth groups in reforestation efforts.
It is also aims to encourage private sector participation in sustainable environmental policies and promote environmental education by involving schools, from the basic level to tertiary institutions, in tree-planting exercises.
President Mahama urged traditional leaders to make available degraded lands for reforestation, while calling on businesses and the corporate world to adopt responsible environmental policies and support afforestation as part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts.
Addressing Ghana’s youth, President Mahama stressed the need for active participation in environmental conservation efforts, while encouraging students to join environmental clubs and take personal responsibility for nurturing trees planted in their schools and communities.
“Each of you will plant your own tree,” he stated, adding that if over one million students participated, Ghana would plant at least one million trees annually.
The Tree for Life Initiative is not just about environmental conservation—it is also an economic empowerment program.
President Mahama highlighted that the initiative would create thousands of jobs in areas such as: forestry management, nursery development, and sustainable agriculture
The President also disclosed that the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources and the Forestry Services Division were in discussions with a Norwegian partner to undertake major investments in commercial forestry and the restoration of indigenous species in Ghana’s degraded forest reserves.
A critical component of the Tree for Life Initiative is the government’s renewed crackdown on illegal mining.
President Mahama emphasized that no government appointee should engage in any form of mining, whether legal or illegal.
He issued a strong directive that any government official found violating this rule would face swift penalties, including removal from office, further revealing significant progress in the government’s fight against galamsey, including the reclamation of some forest reserves initially taken over by illegal miners.
In a historic legislative move, President Mahama announced that the government had successfully laid Legislative Instrument (LI) 2462 before Parliament.
Once it matures in 21 days, the President—and any future Ghanaian President—will no longer have the power to authorize mining in forest reserves.
This, according to him, marks a major step towards permanent environmental protection and ending political interference in Ghana’s forests.
Ghana’s commitment to environmental protection goes beyond national policies. President Mahama reaffirmed Ghana’s dedication to international agreements such as: the Paris Climate Agreement and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
He also highlighted a significant milestone: By June 30, 2025, Ghana will export its first batch of FLEGT-licensed timber to the European Union (EU), making it the first African country and only the second in the world (after Indonesia) to achieve this.
The Forest Law Enforcement, Governance, and Trade (FLEGT) Action Plan ensures that only sustainably sourced timber enters the EU market, further reinforcing Ghana’s position as a leader in sustainable forestry.
Concluding his speech, President Mahama emphasized that the Tree for Life Initiative is about more than just planting trees—it is about hope, resilience, and securing a green and vibrant Ghana for future generations.
He urged all Ghanaians to rise to the challenge, plant trees, protect the environment, and hold one another accountable in the fight against deforestation and environmental degradation.