Nigerian Breweries Plc (NBL) in collaboration with the Ogun State Government through the Ministry of Forestry has signed an agreement to plant 600,000 trees in the next 10 years.
This was disclosed by the Corporate Affairs Director of NBL, Mrs Sade Morgan, during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding for the reforestation of 500 hectares Olokemeji Forest Reserve, held on Monday, in Abeokuta.
She explained that a sum of N500m had been earmarked for the project.
Morgan said the agreement was a reaffirmation of the company’s sustainability agenda of Brewing a Better World (BaBW), by playing a positive role in building a sustainable future for the country.
She added that the project is aimed at protecting the watershed; preserving the environment and replenishing of soil water to address the challenge of climatic change, which would be carried out with the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan.
“The reforestation of 500 hectares of the Olokemeji Forest Reserve in Abeokuta, has been identified as a suitable water retention project to improve the watershed health. To achieve this laudable project, we will be working with the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan.
“Working closely with the Ogun State Ministry of Forestry, we plan to replace trees that have been harvested from 500ha of land at the forest reserve in Abeokuta using species of trees that are indigenous to the area,” Morgan said.
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” It is important to state that the duration of this project would be 10 years between the year 2020 and 2030, we would carry out an annual review, which would be conducted to confirm progress and compliance with defined milestones.
In his remarks, the state commissioner for Forestry, Hon. Tunji Akinosi, described tree planting as a prime factor in human development, environmental amelioration, health system development, mitigating the effects of global warming.
He said the state government through the Ministry would continue to join hands with investors in carrying out forestry development projects.
Akinosi frowned at the illegal activities of some members of the public in the state forest reserves, saying such activities are detrimental to the proper forestry growth, management and development of the state.
“Trees also play a vital role in watershed management – a basis on which the State dedicated two forest reserves (Arakanga and Edun Stream) for watershed protection.
“Over the years, we have constantly educated indigenes of the State on the roles trees play in the provision of clean water as well as replenishing soil water (aquifer recharge). We have also regularly called on investors and individuals to join forces with the government to plants trees,” he said.
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