In honor of World Environment Day this year, the Edo State Government is ramping up its campaign for ecosystem restoration and environmental sustainability efforts, expanding the existing tree-planting exercise to additional parts of the state.
The subject of this year’s World Environment Day, ‘Only One Earth,’ provides a platform for raising awareness and rallying stakeholders, including governments, cities, corporations, organizations, and individuals, to take more action to protect and restore the planet.
The government of Edo, through the Ministry of Environment and Sustainability, took the tree-planting exercise to schools around the metropolis, including Oredo Girls Secondary School in Benin City, to join the global effort to guarantee that the globe stays a suitable home for humanity.
While briefing journalists shortly after the tree-planting exercise, Edo State Commissioner for Environment and Sustainability, Engr. Jonathan Lawani, urged all stakeholders in the state to support the government’s efforts to ensure 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 challenged the kids with ensuring adequate trash evacuation in their environment, urging them to be advocates and champions for a better and cleaner 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.
Mrs. Vero Iyayi, the principal of Oredo Girls Senior Secondary School, also stated that the tree-planting initiative will aid in mitigating the negative effects of climate change.