President Mahama declares war on deforestation with Tree for Life initiative

President John Dramani Mahama has unveiled the ‘Tree for Life’ initiative, a nationwide afforestation and agro-forestry program aimed at reclaiming Ghana’s degraded lands.

Speaking at Nkawie in the Ashanti Region on Friday, March 21, 2025, Mahama reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to combating illegal mining and restoring lost forest cover.

He disclosed that a pilot project had successfully rehabilitated 16 hectares of land, with plans to scale up to 500 acres per year, targeting at least 10,000 hectares in the short term.

The initiative aligns with Ghana’s Blue Water Initiative, which seeks to rehabilitate polluted water bodies.

President Mahama also announced that by June 30, 2025, Ghana will become the first African country—and only the second globally after Indonesia—to export FLEGT-licensed timber to the EU. This milestone supports sustainable forestry and combats illegal logging.

Additionally, Mahama directed the Minister of Environment to repeal LI 2462, a law allowing presidential authorization for mining in forest reserves.

The ‘Tree for Life’ initiative represents Ghana’s renewed focus on environmental sustainability, with nationwide tree-planting efforts and legislative reforms aimed at securing the country’s forests for future generations.