The Governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode and the Sole Administrator of Agege Local Government, Gbenga Abiola, have harped on the need for every residents Lagos to cultivate the habit of tree planting.
Ambode, who was represented by Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Tunji Bello, admonished every Lagosians to protect the already planted trees within their environment.
The event, which happened at the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, Orientation Camp at Iyana-Ipaja, Lagos, on Thursday, July 14, 2016, saw thousands of Agege residents in attendance.
Ambode said this year’s tree planting took place simultaneously in 87 locations in the 57 local government/local councils development areas and other eight ceremonial sites in the state. He disclosed that the exercise is aimed at ensuring that the state is able to meet the target of 10 million trees by year 2020.
He then advised Lagosians to lend a hand to save a tree, stressing, “We must plant trees to replace those removed from vast acres of land so that we reduce the rate of ocean surge and erosion with its attendant problem of displacement of homes and communities.”
He added that “scientists stated that the world needs about 30 billion trees annually and that if the last tree dies no human will survive.
“Construction work is at advanced state at the parks at Shasha in Alimoso and Ikorodu local government. These shall be completed and opened for public use soon. We shall enforce tree planting along all new roads being constructed, create more gardens and ensure that all open spaces in Lagos are upgraded.
Abiola, while speaking with newsmen after the tree planting, enjoined all Lagosians especially people of Agege to make planting of trees a priority to enable good environment.
“Tree planting is not just for decorations but for greener and healthier Lagos,” he opined.
He said at the end of the day, if they were able to achieve tree planting 2020 target, it would do the people of Agege and Lagosians lots of good.
Dignitaries at event included Commissioner for Environment, Samuel Adejare; Aliage of Agege; General Manager (GM), Lagos State Parks and Gardens Agency (LASPAK), Mrs. Abimbola Jijoho-Ogun, top state and local government excos of the All Progressives Congress (APC) among others.
