Fashola - We are fighting flood by planting trees

The Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola says the increasing decline in cases of flooding in the state is as a result of the resolve of his administration  to preserve nature in the state by planting trees.

The governor said this at the 2013 tree-planting campaign in Agege, Lagos on Sunday.

He said the government would not relent on its effort to fight climate change with tree planting, adding that no fewer than 1,000 seedlings had been acquired to boost the initiaitive.

He added that 4.6 million trees had been planted across the state in the last six years.

He said, “In 2008, tree planting exercise was inaugurated with the objective of planting one million trees in 10 years. That target was exceeded in the first two years.

“This achievement was made possible because the people of the state embraced the tree-planting initiative.

“Last year, Lagos was devoid of the flooding which ravaged many states in the country.  This is no coincidence; it was a result of our collective efforts at preserving nature.”

Fashola said an additional 1,000 seedlings to be planted on Sunday had been brought in through the assistance of the Borno State Government. He added that more tree species were also brought in from India.

He added, “We need trees to absorb the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to prevent us from suffocating.”

Earlier, Commissioner for the Environment, Tunji Bello, said tree planting was one of the remedies deployed by the state government to combat the menace of erosion.

Also, Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Mr. Adeyemi Ikuforiji, called for effective implementation of the laws protecting vegetation and forest from abuse in the state.

The Speaker made the call during the tree-planting campaign at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, Lagos.

Ikuforiji, who represented Fashola at the programme, said full implementation of the law on parks, gardens and forests, would prevent “our gardens, parks and forests from further damage from offenders.”

He said, “The degradation of the gardens and forests and bush burning have collectively robbed the state of natural resources and good environment.”

Punch