Governor Makinde Launches Tree Planting Campaign in Oyo State 

 Olubunmi Osoteku, Ibadan

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, on Tuesday, launched a tree planting campaign in the state, as part of activities marking his administration’s second year in office, to optimise environmental quality and human health for the current and future generations.

The governor, while launching the campaign at the frontage of the Head of Service building, Secretariat, Ibadan, said that if planting of trees is well-promoted, it would have an impact on the kind of environment that would be handed over to the upcoming generation.

He disclosed that his administration is set to plant 500,000 trees within the 24 months remaining in its tenure, noting that consistent tree planting would positively affect the quality of life of citizens.

Makinde decried the negative way and manner people have been mismanaging the environment, such as destroying vegetation and felling trees, which has caused the weather to be unpredictable, therefore necessitating planting of trees.

He stated: So, we now have a situation whereby the weather system is unpredictable. Sometimes, when we think we should have fairly decent cool weather, it could be hot. It is an indication of how we have mismanaged our environment.”“

“In terms of the campaign and the scheme itself, we can set a target of 500,000 trees within the remaining tenure of this administration. So, we will break it down to what we should achieve on a monthly basis for the next 24 months and we will keep to that,” the governor promised.

He later made a symbolic planting of the Cedera Odorata 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 is one of the numerous initiatives of the Seyi Makinde-led administration towards having a clean and green environment, adding that the environmental economic and social benefit of nature could lead to better vegetation management.

Oyeleke noted: “We cannot keep on ignoring climate change, which is the most significant material risk to our future. As we increase the effort to rid the state of waste, all hands must be on deck to improve the environment by adorning it with flowers, shrubbs, plants, and trees.”

He explained that trees provide numerous economic and ecosystem services that produce benefits to communities and welfare of the citizens, adding that the importance of tree planting, which includes but is not limited to provisions of shade, enhancement of ecosystem, reduction in the effect of carbon emissions, mitigation of flood and provision of employment, cannot be overemphasised.

The event had in attendance the Deputy Governor, Mr Rauf Olaniyan; the Secretary to the State Government, Mrs. Olubamiwo Adeosun; commissioners and other top government functionaries in the state.