The Ogun State government has announced plans to plant one million trees before the end of this year’s planting season.
The initiative, tagged “One Citizen, One Tree,” will be implemented across all 20 local government areas of the state.
Governor Dapo Abiodun explained that the trees will serve multiple purposes like providing fruits and medicinal resources, helping to lower urban temperatures, and reducing the risk of flooding, while also counteracting the environmental impact of ozone layer depletion.
Speaking at the 2025 Ogun Tree Planting Day, organized by the Ministry of Environment in partnership with the Ministries of Forestry, Physical & Urban Development, Housing, and Community Development, the governor, represented by the Commissioner for Forestry, Oludotun Taiwo, called on residents to see tree planting as a shared duty in tackling deforestation and safeguarding the ecosystem.
He said, “Today, we are not merely planting trees; we are sowing seeds of hope, health, and a sustainable future for Ogun State. Trees supply us with oxygen, purify the air, stabilize our climate, and yet, year after year, their numbers decline.”
This year’s theme, “Plant and Grow Trees, Sustain Life,” aligns with the state’s ISEYA development agenda, particularly the “A,” which represents agriculture and the environment. The governor described trees as nature’s essential infrastructure, stating that without them, life’s foundations cannot stand.
He stressed the reality of climate change, citing prolonged dry seasons, flash floods that destroy dams, and rising temperatures impacting both livestock and humans. These, he noted, are no longer distant threats but immediate local challenges that require local solutions. “A single tree can offer shade, produce fruit, provide medicinal benefits, and generate income. Now imagine the impact of one million trees spread across Ogun State,” he said.
The governor announced the official launch of the “One Citizen, One Tree” campaign in all 20 local government areas, with a target to plant one million trees by the close of the current planting season. The initiative also includes creating community tree projects in every local government, training 500 youths and women as Green Ambassadors, and incorporating tree planting into school curricula and market sanitation programs.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, emphasized that the Abiodun administration has a comprehensive decarbonization strategy aimed at making the state more livable, particularly given its strong industrial presence.
Oresanya highlighted that, according to the United Nations, the world is facing an unprecedented climate crisis. Being an industrial hub, Ogun State is committed to tree planting in all parts of its territory. He stressed that the exercise is not merely ceremonial but strategic, scientific, and essential for survival, especially in mitigating flood disasters. He also revealed plans to strengthen partnerships with industries, further integrate tree planting into school programs, and provide incentives to communities, schools, and institutions that excel in planting efforts.
In his goodwill message, the Commissioner for Physical and Urban Development, Tunji Odunlami, emphasized that trees are essential to life, and without them, survival would be impossible. He called for a united effort to ensure the continuity of tree planting initiatives.
Odunlami highlighted that town planning regulations mandate the preservation and planting of trees. He urged everyone, particularly property developers, to avoid the indiscriminate felling of trees during construction projects.
Similarly, Adeyemo Olayomade, representing the Nigeria Conservation Foundation (NCF), pledged the organization’s commitment to ensuring that all trees planted are properly nurtured until they reach full maturity.
