Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State has urged Lagosians to imbibe the culture of planting trees to restore the dignity of the earth.
Ambode gave the advice on Tuesday at the Government Technical College, Ikotun after he flagged off the tree planting day.
He said: “The importance of trees in sustaining human life through the purification of the air that we breathe in cannot be overemphasised.
“We must desist from indiscriminate felling of trees.
“And for every tree that must be removed, at least five must be planted.”
According to the governor, climate change and the effects on human life are real, so also is the vulnerability of the state.
Ambode said: “Statistics and projections about the impact of climate change on the earth planet, particularly the gradual depletion of the rainforest, reinforce the need for all hands to be on deck.
“The tree planting exercise remains one of the cheapest options as one of the strategies that have been put in place to tackle the effects of climate change.”
Ambode commended the efforts of the Lagos State Parks and Gardens Agency in its advocacy activities that have resulted in the planting of about 5.9 million trees.
The governor also noted that over 96,000 jobs had been created for all categories of artisans and professionals.
Hakeem Ogunbambi, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of the Environment, said the tree planting was taking place simultaneously in all the 20 Local Government Areas.
Ogunbambi said the tree planting campaign began in 2008 to complement the landscaping and beautification programme of the state.
“The programme is also created to respond to the effects of the adverse weather conditions,” he said.
The permanent secretary said since the inception of the programme, there had been increase in notable organisations participating in the exercise.
Ogunbambi said Lagosians had shown tremendous support for the initiative and commended their effort.
He said it was a right step in the right direction.
Prof. Musiliu Onilude, a Tree Consultant at the University of Ibadan, educated people on the appropriate techniques and procedures for planting trees.
Onilude evaluated 12 procedures for planting trees correctly as Site Evaluation, Plant Selection, Site Preparation, Planting Hole Preparation, Setting the Planting Hole.
Others are Backfilling the Planting Hole, Watering, Fertilising, Staking, Mulching, Pruning, and tree Wrapping.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that dignitaries at the occasion included Titi Anibaba, the Managing Director of LASPARK; Oba Azeez Gbadabiu, the Onikotun of Ikotunland; and Oba Lasisi Gbadebo, the Onigando of Igandoland.
NAN.
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