Story: Benjamin Xornam Glover, Bolgatanga Personnel engaged under the aforestation programme initiated by Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) and ACI Construction Company has lauded government for the programmes which will help in protecting the vegetative cover and also create employment and enhance livelihoods. The project is a collaborative effort between Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) and ACI Construction Company, a subsidiary of the AGAMS Group of Companies and it is being operated under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) over a 5 year period. The initiative seeks to plant an initial Five (5) million seedlings of assorted trees within the 50 districts of the SADA ecological zone, namely the Upper East, Upper West, Northern regions as well as Northern parts of Brong Ahafo and Volta Regions. Speaking on the sidelines of a tour of the project sites by the Chief Executives of SADA, Alhaji Gilbert Iddi, some of the young men and women recruited under the programme told the Daily Graphic that the programme will no doubt improve lives, restore the vegetation of the area and protect the natural resources of the area. Nsobila Awuni told the Daily Graphic that the intervention in the community has helped improve their lives and also afforded them the opportunity to protect their water bodies. The C.E.O of SADA visited the project sites in the Upper East Region, the namely Pusu Namongo, Winkogo and Vea under the pilot phase to monitor the progress of the project. Alhaji Iddi described the project as one of the key components under SADA initiative and urged personnel to take it seriously in making it a success. He said the project will not only help solve the deforestation issues but will also create employment. He disclosed that at least 100 youth from each district of the region will be offered the opportunity and resourced and trained in the planting and nurturing of the trees and therefore urged all Municipal and District assemblies in the region to embrace the concept. “This intervention is the first step. Eventually, we at SADA will want to have all our major rivers dredged. When that is done, we will be able to control the flood problems and its attendant destruction and loss of lives and property that has affected this region over the past ten years”, he said. He disclosed that management of SADA have signed a memorandum of understanding with two institutions, namely the Volta River Authority and Wienco Ghana for the possible construction of a multi-purpose dam at Pwalugu and Sisilli Kulpong for both hydroelectric power generation and irrigation farming. These interventions, he said when carried out will better the lives and reduce poverty in the catchment area. He urged the personnel recruited to work on the pilot phase of the project to attached seriousness to the project. He added that the intervention will also target school and institutions like the prisons, who will be provided technical assistance to grow and nurture trees. The Project Manager of ACI Construction, Mr. Polycarp Kazaresem said the purpose of intervention is to transform the SADA zone is to transformed the north into a forest zone, adding that they have they have the expertise and the resources to carry out the project. “We are going to train the people on how to cater for the trees, teach them to understand the tree language and ensure that the objectives set are met”, He said. -End- July 31, 2012