By Ozioruva Aliu

BENIN CITY – TO achieve a clean environment and greenery in most parts, the Edo State government said over 5,000 trees have been planted this year alone in various parts of the state.

The Managing Director, Edo State Parks and Gardens Agency, Pastor Stanley Ighodaro stated this in a chat with journalists where he said the agency has established a tree nursery to reduce the cost of buying from vendors adding that tree planting advocacy clubs have also been established in schools to preach the essence of clean and green environment among pupils and students.

According to him, “When Governor Monday Okpebholo appointed me, he gave me a mandate to ensure beautification of the state, knowing fully well that our environment is important to our health.

“I realise that in most parts of the state, especially in the city centres, there are a lack of trees, there are some areas where you can create a very good ambience where people can go and relax, most of them were lacking.

“We have created more than two schools, what we call nursery, knowing that we can’t keep going around to source for plants or buy plants from vendors.

“We also want to launch what we call Early Greenery Club that would be educating the children in schools, in secondary schools to understand the need for a clean environment and the need for planting trees in the environment.

“This we are able to do in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and so far, we now have some plants readily available to deploy whenever we want to work in a particular location.

“This year alone, we have planted well over 5,000 trees and we are looking forward to doing much more.”

Ighodaro said the Agency will also be planting some trees in Benin City and Ekpoma later this week and the plants would be sourced from the nursery plant.

He said they are also partnering with the private sector like banks and private companies to support tree planting in the state.