Lagos Tree Planting: LAWMA marks 10th anniversary

Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) joined her counterparts across the state to mark the 10th anniversary of the Tree Planting Campaign, a day set aside by the Lagos State Government to create awareness on the need for residents to imbibe the culture of tree planting.
The event, with the theme, “Think Green, Plant Trees, Live Green”, held simultaneously in 78 locations in the state and was observed by LAWMA at the Authority’s Onipanu Zonal office.
In his keynote address, the Governor of Lagos State, His Excellency, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, who was represented by the General Manager of LAWMA, Mr. Segun Adeniji, said that the annual tree planting campaign was critical to his administration’s agenda on sustainable environment and healthy living.
“The theme for this year’s campaign, “Think Green, Plant Trees, Live Green”, is in line with our Environmental Sustainability Policy which, in the last two years, has guided our actions on matters relating to the environment”, the Governor said.
Mr. Ambode further reiterated the state government’s commitment to sustaining the tree planting campaign by planting additional 500,000 trees across the state, to boost the over 6,000,000 trees already planted in the state in the last decade.
He urged private developers in the state to support the campaign by shunning the act of massive deforestation in the name of clearance for housing and infrastructural development.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Samuel Adejare, who was represented by the Assistant General Manager, Administration and Human Resources, Mrs. Adenike Sobowale, highlighted the importance of trees to human health and environmental sustainability.
“People all over the world have come to terms with the fact that trees play a major role in our lives and in the preservation of the environment. It is a fact that trees complement healthy living, purify the air, prevent erosion, combat flooding and desertification among other benefits to humanity”, the commissioner said.
Dr Adejare implored Lagosians to imbibe the habit of tree cultivation during landmark events such as birthdays, burial and naming ceremonies among others.
Highpoint of the event was the planting of trees around LAWMA’s Zonal Office at Awoyokun Bus-Stop Onipanu, Lagos, which was led by the Authority’s General Manager followed by the management staff and other guests present.