Ministry Plants One Million Trees

The Federal Ministry of Environment on Thursday said that it had supervised the planting of one million trees across the country between 2011 and 2012.

The Deputy Director, Erosion, Flood, and Coastal Zone Management, Mr Adeyinka Adefule,  in the ministry disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Lagos.

Adefule added that the ministry had also commenced the distribution of seedlings to schools, organisations, conservation clubs and even private firms.

“We have given seedlings to the Green Nigeria Project, the Nigeria Conservation Foundation, the University of Lagos, the Muslim Society, as well as private individuals and some local government councils.”

He said that the aim of the exercise was to impact the environment, check global warming and contribute to the economic growth of the country.

The director said that the forestry department of the ministry has also been assisting people in tree planting and that they also sensitise them on planting and nurturing of the plants to maturity.

“We don’t just give out the trees, but we go as far as educating them on the importance of trees to the environment, so as to get them committed”, he said.

Adefule said that school children were agents of change in any society, “so catching them young will help the progress of the projects”.

He added that it was for that reason that the ministry was working with the schools.

He, however, advised Nigerians to complement the efforts of the Ministry by caring for planted trees in their domain.