Oti Regional Minister orders removal of June 4 tree seedlings
Mr Joshua Makubu, the Oti Regional Minister, has ordered the uprooting of trees planted by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) at the Nkwanta Community Day Senior High School.
The Party, led by Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia, General Secretary, marked this year’s June 4 celebration at the school with tree planting exercise.
Ghana News Agency (GNA) checks at the NDC Nkwanta South Constituency Communication Team revealed that a total of 1,000 trees were expected to be planted in all to commemorate the June 4, in the Municipality.
It is not clear how many seedlings were planted before the directive from the Regional Minister.
Mr Makubu in an address on Green Ghana Day said June 4 was a dark day in the history of the country, where lives were lost, and most affected people still grieved over the day and the event.
He said the act of the NDC to plant trees on the compound of the school implied that generations of the victims of the June 4 should not come to the school since the sight of the trees would give them a flashback.
Mr Makubu said it was pain being caused and for that matter, he disagreed with the idea of planting trees on a school compound to commemorate June 4, though not against celebrating the day in the region.
“I’m a member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), as a Regional Minister, I will never under any circumstances allow the NPP to get into any Senior High School campus to plant trees to commemorate a party event.
Mr Makubu said he had instructed the Nkwanta South MCE to inform the school authorities and make sure the trees were uprooted and replaced by the Forestry Commission seedlings with the students replanting without any intimidation or party interest.
“If you want to plant your party trees, get a land, invite us and we will come but not on a school belonging to the country,” he added.
He further entreated all Municipal and District Chief Executives (MDCEs) in the Region to implement bye-laws that would prevent animals from destroying planted trees.
He urged the MDCEs to protect the progress of the Green Ghana Day project since the expectation of the President and his government for the survival of the trees was high.
Source: GNA