The Forestry Commission (FC) has organized an inter-school quiz to celebrate International Day of Forest 2025 at Accra Zoological Garden in the Greater Accra Region. The four basic schools in the La Kwantanang community, namely Presec Staff Basic 1, Presec Staff Basic 2, Presec Staff Basic 3, Presec Staff Basic 4, and Presec Staff Basic 5.
In a welcoming statement, Paul Addah, Manager of Accra Zoological Gardens, expressed his delight in the interest gained in the education of forest and food. He highlighted the importance of conserving the forest, as it provides food for us. At the end of his speech, Mr. Addah encouraged everyone, including the quiz participants, to engage in the conservation of the forest and food after wishing the participants good luck.
In an opening statement, the Acting Chief Executive of the Forestry Commission, Dr. Hugh Brown, said, the day seeks to raise awareness about the importance of forests and trees in sustaining life on Earth. The International Day of Forests was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2012 to raise awareness about the importance of forests and trees for people, wildlife, and the planet.”
He mentioned that this year’s theme, “Forests and Food,” aims to highlight the critical role forests play in the production of food for the country. The UN has encouraged member states to celebrate the Day according to their peculiar circumstances. He stated that the quiz competition is a learning platform for both the contestants and the other students to listen and cheer the contestants on.
“I strongly believe that a lot of research work and learning has gone into the preparatory processes, which has enriched the knowledge of the pupils on forests and related issues,” he added. He highlighted that this is the second time the quiz competition has been held at the Accra Zoo; the first one was held among pupils of the Anunmele Cluster of Schools in 2023, and a similar event was held last year at Tamale.
He explained that the knowledge acquired will help the students, who are future leaders, make informed decisions in preserving the forest landscape of the country. Mr. Brown stated some key benefits of forests, include hosting a large array of foods, protecting water bodies, and income-generating areas for millions of forest-fringed communities.
He expressed the urgent need to protect the forests in the nation to enable them to continually play these important roles in human lives. According to him, the Achimota Forest Reserve, which houses the Accra Zoo, is the only significant green space in the city and covers an area of approximately 360 hectares. Originally reserved for fuel wood production, its proximity to Accra and ecological importance led to its designation as a Forest Reserve. Forests in Ghana have come under severe attacks over the years, due to illegal mining, illegal logging, and bushfires, among others.
PRESEC Staff Basic Three won the 2025 inter-quiz competition. After four rounds of the competition, the winner got a total of 38 points and received an amount of GH10,000, desktop and monitor, a certificate, a plaque, branded t-shirts, and a set of stationery. PRESEC Staff Basic Four emerged as the first runner-up and received an amount of GH 7,000, a desktop and monitor, a certificate, a plaque, branded t-shirts, and a set of stationery.
PRESEC Staff Basic Two was second runner-up and received an amount of GH 5,000, a desktop and monitor, a certificate, a plaque, branded t-shirts, and a set of stationery. The third runner-up went to PRESEC Staff Basic Five and received an amount of GH3,000, a desktop and monitor, a certificate, a plaque, branded t-shirts, and set of stationery.
At the end of his statement, he appreciated the Greater Accra Regional GES Director, the La Nkwantanang-Madina Municipal Education Directorate for their help in making the program a reality, the management of Presec Basic Schools, and wished the competing schools all the best.
