By; RAYMOND TEDUNJAYE, Lagos
The Executive Chairman of Ifelodun Local Council Development Area (LCDA) Mayor Olufemi Akanbi Okeowo has charged residents to plant more trees in order to engender a greener environment.
He told the residents to plant trees to commemorate important events such as landmark birthdays, house warming, appointments, promotions ,naming ceremonies, burial ceremonies, graduation ceremonies, inauguration of markets, mosques, churches amongst others.
“Trees are important to prevent erosion, heat, provide fresh air, prevent houses from falling during wild winds, trees serve as shed during rainy or sunny weather, trees produce more oxygen which is inhaled by human beings,trees help to purify the atmospheric conditions etc.”, Okeowo emphasised.
He made this charge during the 2023 annual Tree Planting exercise which took place at LA Primary School, Bakare Faro Street, Amukoko, Mosafejo.
Okeowo who was represented by the Vice Chairman, Alhaja Adetoun Ojora-Adejiyan explained that tree planting has become a permanent decimal in the calendar of Lagos, where Ministries, Departments, Higher institutions, Local Governments and other agencies of Governments plant trees to symbolize it’s importance to the Society.
This policy, he explained, was initiated by the administration of Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola in 2008, because of its importance to the society, adding that subsequent governments have continued with the policy.
According to him, the only way to ensure a successfully green city, is to continue to grow and nurture more Trees.
Head of Department of Waste and Environmental Sanitation, Sanitarian Ezekiel Obideyi explained that apart from appealed to the residents to inculcate the habit of planting Trees in order to neutralize the acid in the atmosphere.
The Chairman Chieftaincy Committee of Ifelodun LCDA Chief Lateef Olatunji called on the Traditional Rulers to drum the ideas of planting trees to the residents and warm them to to cut any tree without the express approval of the relevant Government agencies
The Chairman Community Development Committee of Ifelodun LCDA Elder Samuel Olaide Odusanya encouraged the Community Development Association to take the massage of Tree planting to the grassroot.
The Occasion was witnessed by the Council Manager Mr Azeez Saheed Abiodun, Supervisor for the Environment Hon Modinot Oyefolu, Supervisor for Chieftaincy Affairs and Community Development Alhaji Nurudeen Mohammed, Supervisor for Transportation Alhaji Daud Somotan, Baale in Council, CDC executive, CDA members, League of Imams, Christian Association of Nigeria, Ifelodun Chapter, Artisans, Director Public Affairs Ifelodun LCDA Mr Olusegun Akinyemi ,,Counci Engineer Ibrahim Solola, ,Market leaders. Headmaster LA Primary school Mr. James Babalola Dairo, Management staff of Ifelodun LCDA and others
