Obaseki pledges support for One Million Trees project in Edo

The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has assured of his administration’s commitment to sustain the One Million Trees for Peace Afforestation project on-going in the state.

Obaseki made the commitment when he received members of the Board of Association Bernadette Strebel World Peace (ABSWP) based in Switzerland and Spain, who paid him a courtesy visit at Government House, Benin City on Wednesday.

The governor lamented that the forest cover of the state has dropped to less than six per cent, noting that replenishment through continuous tree planting is paramount.

“We are committed to the protection of the forest covers in the state in order to tackle climate change and preserve our beautiful state for future generations. We are ready to support the replenishment of our trees which are our heritage,” he added.

He assured that with the setting up of the Edo Forestry Commission, the state would be able to plant one million trees in two years.

Earlier, the president of the association, Mrs Bermadette Strebel, said the association in 2008, promised to support the Edo State Government’s Reforestation programme by raising one million trees to be planted in the state.

Strebel added that about 270,000  trees have been planted in the state since the inception of the project.

She noted that the world forests were depleting at an alarming rate and commended the governor Obaseki-led administration for giving support to forest regeneration.

“The establishment of the Advisory Committee on Forestry and the proposed Edo Forestry Commission are welcome development. You are working in line with the saying that the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago and the second-best time is now” the President said.

She also expressed appreciation for the cooperation of the Africa Initiative for World Peace  in Europe and the Edo State Government in the implementation of the One Million Trees for Peace Afforestation project.