By Jude Atupulazi
Anambra State Government, through the collaboration of the Ministry of Environment and the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Anambra State Chapter, on Saturday June 22, moved the tree planting campaign to Port Harcourt Street, Onitsha.
It will be recalled that Port Harcourt Street is one of the major artery roads that Governor Chukwuma Soludo rebuilt with sidewalks and street lights.
Meanwhile the tree planting campaign is a subset of the main Clean & Green Sustainable Anambra Campaign, a major Pillar of Governor Soludo’s 5-Point Development Agenda.
Delivering an address of welcome at the event, Anambra State’s Commissioner for Environment, Engr. Dr Felix Odimegwu, disclosed that Governor Soludo’s determination to make Anambra the cleanest and greenest state in Nigeria birthed the Clean & Green Sustainable Anambra Campaign.
According to Engr. Odimegwu, ‘We are not only planting trees in Onitsha, what we’re doing is very symbolic. We started in June 10 to provide tree covers (urban forestation) on streets, roads, boulevards and highways to make Anambra a Green State.
‘We know the advantages of trees in the survival of the human race and sustainable ecosystem. Trees provide humans with the oxygen to survive. Trees cool the atmosphere for our survival. Trees store carbon that mitigates climate change which helps to prevent biodiversity loss.
‘If you come to Onitsha, the sun is always too hot. After planting these trees, if you come here in the next two – three years, it will give a beautiful ambiance, cool the temperature and provide comfort for residents of this area and purify the air.’
The Commissioner further stated that Governor Soludo was successfully changing the negative report of the World Health Organization (WHO), which said a few years ago that Onitsha was the most polluted city in the world by bringing development to Onitsha and making sure that Onitsha and the entire Anambra were clean.
‘You can see the beautiful roads. So what we are doing today is to complement the governor’s efforts in building roads. We are planting trees to make the roads even more beautiful,’ the Commissioner said.
He commended the NIPR members who were marking the 60th Anniversary of the Institute with the tree planting campaign and called on other well-meaning Anambra citizens to understand the importance of planting trees.
After few goodwill remarks from the guests and the Chairman of NIPR Chapter, Awka, Professor Angela Nwanmuo, the gathering proceeded to plant trees along Port Harcourt Road.
