Fashola, who spoke at this year’s tree planting campaign in Mushin area of Lagos, southwest Nigeria, said the state had surpassed its target of planting one million trees in four years to planting over three million.
“This is a feat of 12 years achieved within four years due to the commitment and passion of the government and members from the community in this direction.
“Many open spaces hitherto regarded as wetland and occupied by illegal occupants have been reclaimed; many of our medians and verges and setbacks are now avenues of trees and are cleansing the air around the various neigbourhood,” he said.
Fashola said the danger of global warming was now a common knowledge with its attendant rise in water bodies, such as oceans, seas, lagoons and rivers, which had resulted in flood ravaging the globe.
The governor reiterated its commitment to the tree planting campaign and urged all to continue to embrace tree planting, saying; “I strongly implore you all to protect these trees and ensure they live so that we all can live.”
“We can see now that the solutions we put in place last year has reduced the flood we experienced last year in some areas including Agege, Lekki and Arigbanla, Idi Araba; there is no flood there again despite the heavy rains.
“It means the solutions we are implementing are working. We have not got to some areas, but we would get there. I understand that there is a problem in Alpha Beach but we will get there, let me say, however, that before we come, there is a lot that you can do to help yourself.
“Plant a tree today, nurture a tree, protect a tree, do not allow any citizen to cut trees, whether it is a citizen or a visitor, challenge him. We have made it unlawful to cut down a tree without obtaining a permit; this would be your first line of defence against flood, it would be your first line of defence against erosion. It would also be your first line of defence against heavy wind that is evident now,” Fashola added.
Commissioner for Environment, Tunji Bello, said it was disheartening to note that the threat of desert encroachment and deforestation were assuming frightening dimension as they affected the nation’s arable landmass.
“At both institutional and policy levels, we must combine efforts to adopt a more sustainable use of forest resources by replanting trees to recover the cultivatable lands,” he said.
What is the use in planting trees with no employment for the youths?
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