One Million New Trees for Lagos

Lagos State government is set to plant one million trees in four years

The Lagos State government in its drive to improve the aesthetic beauty of the state and protect the environment from further degradation is set to plant one million trees in the state in the next four years. Babatunde Raji Fashola, governor of the state on September 3, led top government officials to plant trees in major parts of the state to kick-start the state tree planting campaign.

Fashola, who defied the rain of that day to lead the tree planting exercise which took place simultaneously in all the 20 local government areas in the state as well as the 37 development areas, said tree planting would be given a serious attention by the state government for two reasons. The first was the need to protect the environment "as the entire planet faces serious ecological threat and the second is the need to add to the beauty of the environment."

He said the city of Lagos had suffered various environmental degradations in recent years, but expressed satisfaction that the state was gradually being transformed from that of neglect and degradation to an aesthetically appealing and friendly society with its beautification programme. "I remember with nostalgia those days when the streets of Lagos, especially Lagos Island, Ikoyi, Apapa, Ikeja and Lagos Mainland were adorned with beautiful trees, which did not only add aesthetic values to the city, but also protected the environment from degradation," he said.

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The painting is by Laura Tasheiko

Lagos: From ‘Ghetto’ to Garden City

The administration of Governor Babatunde Fashola has many ambitious dreams. One of the latest of such daring dreams of a government that has barely spent two years is to transformthe state from a massive concrete ghetto to a garden state.
To actualize the tall dream of greening and reducing the high rate of carbon in the atmosphere, the Lagos State Government has embarked upon an aggressive tree planting campaign which would lead to the planting of no fewer than one million trees in the state within the next ten years.

The tree planting campaign was flagged off by Governor Fashola last week, precisely September 2, 2008 along Ikorodu road in the heart of Lagos. Fashola said the campaign is to be carried out by the State Government in conjunction with corporate bodies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), local governments and other stakeholders in the society.

The State commissioner for Environment, Dr. Muiz Adeyemi Banire revealed that no fewer than 250,000 trees are to be planted within the first three months of the campaign. Of this figure, the State Government is expected to contribute about 10, 000 plant seedlings..

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The painting is by Laura Tasheiko

Nigeria: Fashola Commended for Tree Planting

The governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola, has been lauded for the tree planting exercise he began in the state last week.

The National Vice-Chairman, Action Congress (AC), Prince Tajudeen Olusi, who made the commendation in Lagos, said Governor Fashola is gradually returning Lagos to its old glory with the ongoing tree planting campaign.


Prince Olusi, speaking on Thursday at the Tree Planting Exercise at the Eti-Osa East Local Council Development Area, noted that the influx of people into the state and the past governments' concentration on education and welfare, led to the disappearance of trees in the state.

He urged Lagosians to get committed to the policy of changing the environment for the benefit of the state.

Eti-Osa East Local Council Development Area Executive Secretary, Mrs. Samiat Mumuni, enjoined the people to take the tree planting project seriously.

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The painting is by Laura Tasheiko