Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has urged residents to embrace tree planting as a collective responsibility, saying the initiative is critical to protecting the environment, restoring degraded ecosystems and securing the future.
Abiodun spoke during the 2026 Ogun Tree Planting Day organised by the state Ministries of Environment and Forestry at Orange Valley Estate, Olusegun Obasanjo Hilltop, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
The programme was themed, “Root for the Future: Plant a Tree, Heal the Earth.”
Represented by his deputy, Noimot Salako-Oyedele, the governor said the theme was timely as the effects of climate change continued to affect communities, livelihoods and economic activities.
He cited rising temperatures, flooding, prolonged dry seasons, land degradation and biodiversity loss as growing environmental challenges requiring collective action.
“Tree planting is not merely placing of seedlings into the soil but a reaffirmation of our collective responsibility to protect the environment, restore degraded ecosystems and secure a future where economic progress and environmental sustainability advance together,” Abiodun said.
The governor said Ogun remained committed to supporting national environmental objectives through investments in afforestation, renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, green infrastructure, waste management, environmental sanitation and improved flood-control mechanisms.
He also commended the Federal Government for initiatives including the Nigeria Energy Transition Plan, National Clean Cooking Policy, afforestation and ecosystem restoration programmes, climate-safe investments and carbon-market development.
Abiodun praised the Ministries of Environment and Forestry for sustaining the annual tree-planting exercise, noting that it had grown beyond a government programme to involve schools, tertiary institutions, corporate organisations, development partners and individual residents.
He urged participants to go beyond planting seedlings by nurturing and protecting them until they mature.
The Head of Service, Olanrewaju Iskeel Saka, called on public servants, businesses, educational institutions, community leaders and residents to make tree planting part of their daily lives.
The Commissioner for Forestry, Taiwo Oludotun, said the state government had resuscitated its forest reserves and improved the state’s forest cover.
Oludotun has previously said the government’s tree-planting activities in forest reserves had contributed to improved security by making the areas less attractive to kidnappers, militant groups and land grabbers.
Speaking at the event, the Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, highlighted the environmental benefits of trees, including carbon capture, improved air quality, water conservation, erosion control and wildlife habitats.
He also said trees contributed to urban beautification and the physical and mental well-being of residents.
Oresanya urged residents to nurture every planted seedling, protect it from damage and monitor its growth.
He described students and young people as the “Environmental Champions of Tomorrow”, urging them to plant trees in schools, places of worship and communities while encouraging others to participate.
The state government has continued to expand its environmental agenda beyond tree planting, with recent initiatives targeting climate resilience, clean energy, waste management and a circular economy.
The latest campaign therefore places renewed emphasis on the long-term responsibility of protecting Ogun’s green spaces and ensuring that trees planted during official ceremonies survive beyond the planting season.
