The Edo State Government, in commemoration of this year’s World Environment Day, is revving up the campaign for the restoration of the ecosystem and driving environmental sustainability initiatives, expanding the ongoing tree planting exercise to other locations in the state.
This year’s World Environment Day with the theme, ‘Only One Earth,’ provides the platform to increase awareness and rally stakeholders, including governments, cities, businesses, organizations and individuals to step up actions aimed at protecting and restoring the planet.
Through the Edo Ministry of Environment and Sustainability, the government took the tree planting exercise to schools within the metropolis, planting several trees at Oredo Girls Secondary School in Benin City, among others, to join the global effort to ensure that the planet remains a comfortable home for humanity.
The Edo State Commissioner for Environment and Sustainability, Engr. Jonathan Lawani, while briefing journalists shortly after the tree planting exercise, urged all stakeholders in the state to support the government’s efforts at engendering environmental sustainability, ensuring a healthier and cleaner state for all citizens.
He said, “There is no other earth except the one protected by you and l. We all know the exchange between plants and animals in terms of carbon dioxide and oxygen without which we would not be alive. We need a good environment for our trees which will in turn help us to synchronize the carbon dioxide and give us oxygen to live. It is our collective responsibility to protect our environment and earth.”
The commissioner, who urged the students to be advocates and champions of a healthier and cleaner environment, charged them to ensure the proper evacuation of wastes in their environment.
“We need a clean, safe and healthy environment to live happily,” he added.
On her part, Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development Isoken Omo, who restated the government’s commitment to environmental sustainability, said trees are essential to human existence as oxygen needed for survival comes from trees.
Describing urbanization as the major cause of deforestation and removal of trees, Omo said, “Trees are essential to human existence as the oxygen we need comes from the trees. Urbanization has caused deforestation and removal of trees from the urban areas.”
“We are commemorating this year’s World Environment Day with the planting of trees. We must continue to do what is right to replenish our environment; it’s a culture that we need to learn. It’s important for the environment. We have abused the environment for a long time and now, it is time to stop the abuse,” she urged.
Also, the principal of Oredo Girls Senior Secondary School, Mrs. Vero Iyayi said the tree planting exercise will help mitigate the adverse effect of climate change.
