As Ghana grapples with rising temperatures, erratic rainfall patterns, deforestation and increasing environmental degradation, concerns are growing about the role future generations must play in safeguarding the country’s natural resources.
Against this backdrop, students are being encouraged to move beyond classroom discussions and become active participants in environmental conservation efforts, particularly as the country pursues ambitious targets under the national Tree for Life initiative aimed at restoring degraded landscapes and combating climate change.
Students of Prampram Senior High School (SHS) have therefore been challenged to take a leading role in protecting Ghana’s environment as the country intensifies efforts to tackle climate change, deforestation and land degradation.
The call came from Charlotte Amanquah, Head of Commercial Banking at Ecobank Ghana, during a tree-planting exercise held at the school as part of activities marking World Environment Day and supporting the national Tree for Life initiative.
Addressing students after participating in the exercise, Ms Amanquah described the younger generation as the custodians of Ghana’s environmental future and urged them to take sustainability issues seriously wherever they find themselves.
“To the students present here today, I would like to leave you with a simple message. You are the custodians of Ghana’s future. The environment is in your hands. Protect it for a better tomorrow,” she said.
According to her, the trees being planted today represent an investment in future generations and require the commitment of young people to ensure their survival.
“The trees we plant today are not just for us. They are for you, the younger generation, and for those who will come after you. The responsibility to nurture them, protect them and sustain our environment ultimately rests with you,” she stated.
The exercise formed part of Ecobank Ghana’s long-standing environmental sustainability programme, which began at the school in 2012 when the bank donated more than 1,200 seedlings to support greening efforts on what was then a newly developing campus.
Fourteen years later, the bank has returned to expand the initiative and reinforce what it describes as a legacy project.
Ms Amanquah noted that sustainability requires consistent action over time rather than one-off interventions.
“We recognize that sustainability is not built in a day. It is the result of consistent, deliberate action over time. The trees that have survived and grown on this campus are a testament to that principle,” she said.
She explained that Ecobank’s sustainability agenda has evolved beyond tree planting to include ecosystem restoration, renewable energy financing, digital banking solutions that reduce environmental impact and partnerships that promote responsible economic growth.
As part of this year’s programme, the bank is undertaking tree-planting activities across schools, hospitals and churches nationwide while also supporting forest restoration efforts.
The Forestry Commission used the occasion to stress the importance of trees in addressing climate-related challenges facing the country.
Grace Taylor, Forest Range Manager for the Tema-Ada District of the Forestry Commission, said trees remain essential for environmental sustainability, providing oxygen, protecting soil, conserving water resources and helping to absorb carbon emissions.
She warned that deforestation continues to contribute to rising temperatures, erratic rainfall patterns, declining soil fertility and biodiversity loss.
“Without trees there is no life. That is why the Tree for Life initiative exists, to remind us that planting a tree today is planting for the future,” she said.
Ms Taylor stressed that tree planting should not be viewed solely as the responsibility of government agencies, corporate organisations or environmental groups.
“Tree planting is our collective responsibility. It is not just the duty of the government, not just the duty of the Forestry Commission and not just the duty of Ecobank, but all of us,” she stated.
She further emphasised that the success of tree-planting programmes depends largely on aftercare, including watering, weeding, monitoring and protecting seedlings from destruction.
The Headmaster of Prampram Senior High School, Peter Djan, welcomed Ecobank’s continued support, noting that the trees planted during the bank’s earlier intervention had contributed significantly to improving the school’s environment.
He assured the bank that the school community would take ownership of the newly planted trees and ensure they are properly maintained.
To students, Mr Djan described the exercise as an opportunity to demonstrate responsibility towards the environment through active participation in tree planting and conservation efforts.
The event forms part of the national Tree for Life campaign launched by President John Dramani Mahama in 2025 to restore degraded landscapes, combat climate change and support the development of a greener economy.
