The Ogun State Government has promised to plant one million trees and also create 10 hectares of green recreational parks in partnership with the private sector before the end of the planting season this year to ensure sustainable development, a greener, more beautiful, and healthier environment.

Governor Dapo Abiodun stated this at the flag-off of the Ogun State Tree Planting Day themed: “Grow Trees, Sustain Life,” put together by the Ministry of Environment in collaboration with the Ministries of Forestry, Physical Planning and Urban Development, Housing, and Community Development.

Represented by the Commissioner for Forestry, Taiwo Oludotun, Governor Abiodun said the trees planted would not only provide fruit and medicine but would also assist in reducing urban temperature, mitigate the effects of flooding, and depletion of ozone layers.

“Today we are not just planting trees, we are planting hope and the future of our state as trees give us oxygen, clean out air, shield out climate, so this year’s theme which is ‘Grow Trees, Sustain Life’ aligned with our ISEYA agenda especially the A that stands for Agriculture and Social Development which the Environment plays important roles.”

“To complement government’s effort at achieving the planting of 1 million trees before the end of the planting season, the state government will also embark on One Citizen, One Tree campaign across all the twenty local government areas of the state while we will collaborate with corporate organizations for the creation of fifty hectares of green parks across the state,” Abiodun explained.

Speaking earlier, the Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Ola Oresanya said the tree planting day in the state is not just ceremonial but strategic, scientific, and survival-driven to mitigate the effect of flood and disclosed plans to collaborate and encourage industries to embark on tree planting exercises as well as integrate tree planting into school curriculum, adding that special awards would be given to industries, groups, schools, and institutions every year on effective tree planting and maintenance.

Oresanya added that as the most industrialised state in the country, the state government is conscious of planting trees to reduce carbon footprint and mitigate effects of flooding and other natural disasters, particularly in urban areas.
For the Commissioner of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Tpl Tunji Odunlami, he assured that the Ministry would continue to give the much-needed support to ensure trees are protected in the urban renewal programmes of the state, while the Head of Service, Mr. Kehinde Onasanya, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Forestry, Dr. Adekunle Oyesanwen, stressed the need for all residents of the state to be agents of change by embarking on massive tree planting across the state and stop indiscriminate felling of trees.

Welcoming guests earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Dr. Sam Oyeleye, said tree planting has become a life-saving, purpose-driven necessity to combat climate change and improve the quality of life of residents of Ogun State.

There were also goodwill messages from Lafarge Africa Plc, Nigeria Conservation Foundation, Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria, Nigeria Institute of Landscape Horticulturists, the Nigeria Youth Service Corps while guests planted trees to commemorate the day just as hundreds of tree seedlings were given to all the twenty local government areas of the state, government and private housing estates, voluntary organizations and Community Development Associations (CDAs) for onward planting in their areas.