Oyo State Government on Tuesday launched trees planting campaign to enhance environmental quality and human health for the current and future generations.
Launching the trees Gov. Seyi Makinde in the premises of State Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan.Makinde, during the brief ceremony, on Tuesday evening, said that consistent tree planting would positively affect the quality of life.
He said that if planting of trees was well-promoted, it would have an impact on the kind of environment that would be handed over to the upcoming generation.
The governor maintained that his administration was set to plant 500,000 trees in the next two years of his administration.
“It is my pleasure to launch the trees planting campaign in Oyo State as part of the activities marking our second year in office.
“Tree planting is an effort that if well-promoted, will definitely have an impact on the kind of environment we are going to hand over to the upcoming generation.” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the governor performed a symbolic planting of a tree, after which other executive members performed the same exercise.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Dr Idowu Oyeleke, said that the tree-planting campaign was one of the numerous initiatives of the Makinde’s administration, toward having a clean and green environment.
Oyeleke said that environmental, economic and social benefits of nature could lead to better vegetation management.
“We cannot keep on ignoring climate change, which is the most significant material risk to our future.
“As we are intensifying efforts to rid the state of waste, all hands must be on deck to improve the environment by adoring it with flowers and trees.
“Trees provide numerous economic and ecosystem services that produce benefits to communities and welfare of the citizens.
“The importance of tree planting include provision of shade, enhancement of ecosystem, reduction in the effect of carbon emissions, mitigation of flood and provides employment,” Oyeleke said. (NAN)
