Lagos sets 10 million tree-planting target by 2020

Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode has said that the state would achieve the target of planting 10 million trees by 2020, in its bid to create a greener city and lessen the impacts of climate change.

Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Tunji Bello, Governor Ambode while speaking at the 2016 Tree Planting Day held at the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Orientation Camp, Iyana-Ipaja, noted that tree planting was necessary to combat the effects of climate change.

“Tree planting has been identified as one of the most reliable and cheapest means of combating the effect of global warming and climate change. The peculiarity of our state as a coastal city-state makes it compelling to ensure a healthy balance between the quest for infrastructural development and the need to preserve the environment.

“This calls for strict adherence to all the town planning and greening regulations in the state. I am pleased to note that with over six million trees planted, we are progressively moving toward achieving the target of planting 10 million trees by 2020,’’ Ambode said.

Also speaking at the event, the state’s Commissioner for Environment, Dr Babatunde Adejare, said that collective effort must be made to preserve lives through tree planting.

“It is a known fact that the destruction of trees and other woodlands is on a steady increase. Human infrastructural activities are threatening the survival of tress.

“We are therefore soliciting that, irrespective of human needs for survival, we must also ensure that environmental degradation is minimised so that we can jointly protect the environment,’’ Adejare said.

Mrs Abimbola Jijoho-Ogun, the General Manager, Lagos State Parks and Gardens Agency (LASPARK), said trees were being planted in 83 different locations simultaneously to mark the day in the state.