Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State has made a strong case for the planting of trees as a way of driving environmental sustainability and wealth creation. Governor Soludo made the remarks in Onitsha, the commercial hub of the State, during the official launch of the 2024 distribution of economic tree seedlings to the people of the State.
During the distribution of the seedlings, the governor emphasised the need for tree planting, saying it plays a pivotal role in sustainable development, preservation of ecosystem and environmental conservation.
He lamented that Anambra is currently being ravaged by erosion and as a result, the State has become the gully erosion capital of the world, due to the neglect of tree planting and environmental conservation. He added that the people must utilise every inch of the land to drive technological innovation and commerce because that is the foundation for the future which the state is laying. He said, “Today is a big day in Nigeria and in Anambra. We are here to signpost one of the remarkable environmental activities that will drive the society to sustainable empowerment and wealth creation as well as having an environment that will be sustainable.
“We are launching an ongoing programme designed to plant at least 10 million seedlings in Anambra. These trees will in the medium term constitute Anambra’s own crude oil. This activity lies in industrialisation, entertainment and leisure.
“Anambra is in many ways the second Lagos, we have the second largest land mass after Lagos, but the difference between Anambra and Lagos is that while Lagos is reclaiming its land from the ocean, Anambra is encumbered with erosion.”
In the absence of crude oil, the governor said that Anambra can be as rich as the oil states, if the people explore nature. He said, “The other human capital and social agenda to drive economic transformation and wealth creation is tree planting. In Anambra, our environment is our existential threat and we must do everything to recover our lands and make Anambra the greenest state in Africa.” The governor insisted that the state is making progress in all strata, as traders have started coming back to Anambra because the touts have been driven away.
