Pimampim Yaw Kagbrese V, the Paramount Chief of Yeji Traditional Area has entreated Ghanaians to plant more trees in their respective communities to preserve the environment.

He said the need to make tree planting a hobby by individuals and a project by groups and communities in the country could not be over-emphasised as no nation could attain sustainable development without that as an indispensable factor.

Pimampim Kagbrese V, also the President of the Brong-Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs (BARHoCs) made the call when he was speaking at the launch of the 60th anniversary of the creation of Brong-Ahafo Region on Thursday in Sunyani.

The Brong-Ahafo Region was created on April 4, 1959, two years and a month after Ghana had attained independence on March 6, 1957 but hitherto it was known as Western Ashanti.

The second largest geographical area in the country after the former Northern Region, the region has now been divided into three with the creation of the Ahafo and Bono East Regions out of it.

The programme, jointly organised by the BARHoCs, the Regional Coordinating Councils of the Bono, Bono East and Ahafo Regions and Abibirem Communications, a Ghanaian research and events organisation company was on the theme “United in Division for Progress”.

It was attended by a cross section of Paramount Chiefs from the three regions and the media and aimed among others to inform Ghanaians and the world that “though Brong-Ahafo does not exist as a region, as it used to be, its 60th anniversary ought to be commemorated”.

Pimampim Kagbrese V observed that the Brong-Ahafo Region was “greener and could boast of large amount of forest, but because of indiscriminate cutting of trees, the region is gradually losing its glorious green vegetation state.”

He said the anniversary marked an important milestone in the history of the three newly-created regions to indicate the historic bond of ties and unity among the people.

Pimampim Kagbrese V on behalf of the current generation of chiefs and people in the three regions paid “homage to our forebears and their compatriots whose dream, sweat, sacrifice and commitment to progress resulted in a large measure to the creation of Brong-Ahafo Region.

He recounted that from 1959 till date when the region was divided into three, a lot of development initiatives took place, citing that on the educational front, there was only one second cycle institution, the then Dormaa Secondary School, now Dormaa Senior High School (SHS).

But 60 years on, the region could boast of more than 115 SHSs, Technical and Vocational Schools, 13 Health Training Institutions, four Colleges of Education and six Universities, Pimampim Kagbrese V added.

Nana Agyei-Kodie Anane-Agyei, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Abibirem Communications appealed to the people in the three regions to collaborate with the traditional leaders and contribute in diverse ways in making the anniversary a success.

As part of the launch, a tree seedling was planted in front of the (BARHoCs) building to signify the commencement of the anniversary.