The Regional celebration for 2021 edition, was tailored to commemorate the “Asante Kingdom Landscape Restoration” initiative under the auspices of Asantehene, Otumfo Osei Tutu II. This programme was to reiterated the re-afforestation project (tree planting), meant to restore the dwindled state of the Lake Bosomtwe and its environmental degradation which has economically, affected the source of living among the twenty-two (22) fishing communities along the lake.

Organization

The programme was organized by the Asantehene’s Secretarait, the Regional Co-ordinating Council, Bosomtwe and Bosome Freho District Assembly at the shores of the lake Bosomtwe, Ankaase.

Among the various dignatories who were invited to grace the occasion were the Regional Minister, the US Ambassador to Ghana, Nana Amakomhene, represetative from kokofo Traditional Council, the District Chief Executives and Staff from the two Districts Assemblies, Officers from the Forestry Commission, Chief and Elders from the lakeside Communities, section of the Media/ Press, section of School Children and Citizens from Ankaase and its environs. Traditional cultural troup and othe comtemporary music was introduced to stimulate and beautify the occassion.

The Programme

After the dignatories had settled, an opening prayer was offered for peaceful ceremony. The Master of Ceremony from Citi FM, welcomed and informed the gethering about the purpose of the occasion. An introduction of the invited dignatories was briefly made with Amakomhene, Nana Adu Mensah Asare as the Chairman for the occasion.

Optional Speeches

Optional speeches from the following personalities were delivered; Kokofomanhene, Nana Adu Asare (Amakomhene and representative from the Asantehehe), Ambassador Stephanie Sullivan and the Ashanti Regional Minister-Hon. Simon Osei Mensah. The speeches focused and centered on the need for all stakeholders to help fight unfriendly farming and other socio-economic practices such as illegal mining and fishing as well as illegal timber sawn at the various forest zones etc. that has negatively affected the ecosystem. The call on individual to massively support Otumfuo’s vision on reafforesatation and restoration of Lake Bosomtwe landscape was also factored.

Tree Planting Exercise

The Asante Kingdom Landscape Restoration programme was aimed at “restoring and protect areas around water and river bodies with responsible environmental activities in fishing and farming to mitigate the scourge of climate changes by embacking on agro-forestry programme that seek to plant One Hundred Million (100,000,000) trees by 2029”. This vision was further explained by the Regional Forestry Commissioner and briefly conducted a tree planting exercise to commence twenty thousand trees (20,000) earmarked to be planted by the end of December 2021. The exercise was jointly facilitated by the US Ambassador with support from the Ashanti Regional Minister, Amakomhene and Nananom along the lakeside Communities.