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Forests play a crucial role in sustaining life on earth- Prez Akufo-Addo
President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Friday, June 7, joined activities to commemorative tree planting ceremony of the 2024 edition of Green Ghana Day.
The theme for this 4th edition of Green Ghana Day was, “Growing for a Greener Tomorrow.”
According to him, “we stand together to make a significant impact on our environment. Over the past three years, with your unwavering support, we have successfully planted 42 million trees, most of which are thriving.”
He said, this year, “we have the opportunity to add at least 10 million more trees, bringing our total to an incredible 52 million trees in just four years. This is a remarkable achievement, demonstrating our collective commitment to combating climate change, conserving biodiversity, and securing a sustainable future for our nation.”
President Akufo-Addo said forests play a crucial role in sustaining life on earth and addressing the triple planetary crises of climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss.
Adding that Here in Ghana, activities related to Agriculture, Forest, and Land Use (AFOLU) contribute fifty percent of our national greenhouse gas emissions.
He said by preserving the forests and adopting sustainable land use practices, “we can significantly combat climate change through carbon sequestration. Each tree we plant today is a step towards a greener, healthier, and more prosperous future for all Ghanaians.”
He said the theme should inspire everyone to participate in this national tree planting exercise.
“Whether you are in Axim, Zebilla, Aflao, or Tumu, and no matter your profession, grab a seedling, plant it, and nurture it to maturity. Let us work together to surpass our target of 10 million trees this year. Every seedling we plant today is a step towards a sustainable future,” he said.
According to him, “Together, let us go out not only to plant trees, but also to grow them for a “Green Tomorrow.” May God bless us all and our homeland Ghana, and make her great and strong.”
“So, wherever you are today, from Axim to Zebilla, and from Aflao to Tumu, whether you are a farmer, teacher, doctor, nurse, lawyer, politician, artisan, or student, grab a seedling, plant it, and nurture it to maturity. Every seedling we plant today is a step towards a sustainable future. Together, let us go out not only to plant trees, but also to grow them for a “Green Tomorrow,” he noted.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
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Prof Alidu Seidu files nomination for Tamale Central seat
The newly elected parliamentary candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for Tamale Central, Prof Alidu Seidu, has submitted his nomination forms to the Electoral Commission.
As of 10:00 a.m. today, he was the only person who had filed to contest the seat.
Nomination of candidates will close at the end of the day.
Associate Professor and Head of the Political Science Department at the University of Ghana Legon, Prof. Alidu Seidu won the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary primaries in the Tamale Central constituency with a landslide victory.
The elections, supervised by the party’s Elections and IT Directorate in the Northern Region, saw Prof. Seidu poll 840 votes out of the total valid ballots cast.
His closest contender, Lawyer Hanan Gundadow Abdul-Rahaman, secured 536 votes.
The other aspirants could not make significant gains, with Dr. Seidu Fiter obtaining 44 votes, Aliu Abdul-Hamid 23 votes, and the rest recording fewer than 10 votes each.
In all, 1,500 ballots were cast, with 6 ballots rejected and 7 spoilt ballots recorded.
The results were signed and declared by Dr. Arnold Mashud Abukari, NDC Northern Regional Director of Elections and IT.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) held parliamentary primaries in Tamale Central to choose a candidate for the upcoming by-election following the death of the sitting Member of Parliament, Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed. Dr. Mohammed, who also served as Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, tragically died in a military helicopter crash in the Adansi Akrofuom District on August 6, 2025, alongside seven others.
His passing left the Tamale Central seat vacant, as required by Ghana’s 1992 Constitution.
The Electoral Commission has scheduled the by-election for September 30, 2025. While the NDC moved quickly to open nominations and vet aspirants, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) announced it would not contest the seat, citing the need to respect the somber circumstances and promote national unity.
By: Jacob Aggrey
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Ghana to locally refine its gold starting October 2025 – Sammy Gyamfi
The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board, Sammy Gyamfi, has announced that plans are far advanced for the establishment of a state-owned gold refinery in the country.
Speaking at the 2025 Minerals and Mining Convention, Mr Gyamfi said the refinery will process locally mined gold into bullion instead of exporting it in its raw state.
According to him, it is unacceptable that Ghana, despite being a leading gold producer in Africa, continues to export raw gold known as dore.
He explained that the Gold Board, working with the Bank of Ghana and local refineries, will from October 2025 begin refining gold locally.
He also disclosed that an ultramodern assay laboratory will be built to ensure international standards in testing gold quality.
Mr Gyamfi noted that the refinery will be wholly state-owned and will help Ghana move away from raw mineral exports to value addition.
This, he said, will boost foreign exchange earnings, create jobs, and position Ghana as a hub for gold refining and jewellery production in Africa.
The CEO stressed that the project forms part of government’s strategy to ensure the country benefits fully from its natural resources and to transform the mining sector into a driver of economic growth.
By: Jacob Aggrey
