E/R NCCE to plant 1,401 trees to mark Constitution week

The Eastern Regional Office of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), would undertake a tree planting exercise in 556 school compounds and some communities in the region as part of activities marking the 2013 Constitution week. The exercise, which is in line with Article 41 (k) of the 1992 Constitution on duties of a citizen with regards to the environment, will involve the planting of about 1,401 seedlings by 380 resource persons, including community role models, mentors and celebrities. Mr Eric Bortey, Regional Director for the NCCE, announced this on Wednesday at a brief durbar to officially launch the Week Celebration in the region. He said this year�s celebration would concentrate on making students aware that the development and growth of Ghana depended on how each of them performs their duties, saying that, �when it comes to nation building, everyone counts whether old or young, rich or poor.� Touching on the theme for this year�s Constitution Week Celebration, which is �Advancing Together,� Mr Bortey emphasized that no society could develop if one segment remained passive and unconcerned leaving the task of nation building on the shoulders of a few. �An institution tasked with the responsibility of creating awareness among the citizenry of not only their rights but more importantly, their duties and responsibilities, the NCCE is using this occasion to urge all Ghanaians to come together to build mother Ghana,� he said. The Regional Director of the NCCE expressed regrets that party politics, corruption, greed, individualism and indiscipline, among others, are silently tearing the nation apart, stressing that, instead of political parties uniting and harnessing our diversity to achieve greater things for our country, our differences are rather being emphasized and deepened. He expressed disappointment that after general elections, the nation building is left on the shoulders of the winning party whilst the opposition pray or work towards the failure of the incumbent party. Mr Bortey called on all to make Ghana great and strong by working together as one people since in �Advancing Together, Everyone counts.�