- This Must Happen Within 90 Days, Says 60yr-Old Governor
Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, the governor of Osun State has on Wednesday given an executive order on all the state government’s institutions, ministries, departments and agencies on the need to plant at least 60 seedling of trees in commemoration of his 60th birthday anniversary.
He also asked all traditional rulers across the state to follow suit by ensuring that they plant 60 seedling of trees within their domains.
Governor Aregbesola gave the order while planting trees in commemoration of his 60th birthday anniversary.
The programme which was organised by the state-owned television station (Osun State Broadcasting Corporation, OSBC), aimed to complement the government policies on tree plantation in the state.
Aregbesola who lamented on the environmental challenges of global warming, said it has become mandatory for all agencies of government to complement the state’s efforts on trees plantation.
He said the order was aimed at complementing the already 2.5million trees planted across the state by his administration.
Aregbesola said the effort was necessary to save the society from environmental degradation, which he said had led to many environmental disasters in some parts of the world.
He said the state was bent on fostering relationship with individuals or groups that could support the resuscitation campaigns to actualise green environment.
According to him, the role of trees in man’s life can never be measured and by extension, the sustainability of man’s life relies heavily on plant.
“If we do not have trees, life will seize on earth because trees are the only source of oxygen that man derives to live.
“Just as the trees need carbon-dioxide to succeed so as man needs oxygen from trees to survive in life. So, when one looks at the symbiotic relationship between man and plant, one could not but appreciate the essence of trees on earth for human and animal survival.
“In view of this, it has become an order for all the government institutions, ministries, departments, agencies, parastatals, hospitals, courts, schools, State House of Assembly among others to henceforth commence trees planting.
“All these institutions, agencies and parastatals must ensure that they plant 60 seedling of trees each within 90 days.
“We urge our traditional rulers to cue into this scheme as part of efforts to rescue our society from all forms of environmental challenges.
“This is not a joke anymore. Unlike before that we only urged people to plant trees to commemorate their birthdays, now, it has become an order that must be implemented in the interest of ourselves and our dear state,” Aregbesola added.
Commending the management of the OSBC for revisiting the government policies to keep the environment worthwhile, Governor Aregbesola said the move would further help in re-orientating and enlightening the people on the need to save the world from environmental disasters.
“I am happy that OSBC has reawakened our sensibility to trees planting. Though we have launched this scheme in few years, but we still believe that we can do more better to ensure that our society is free from the adverse effect of global warming.
“This move would go a long way to consciously reorientate the people in the society about the beauty and benefit of green environment,” Aregbesola remarked.
Earlier In his welcome address, the Chairman, Osun State Broadcasting Corporation, Mr. Kola Akanji, said the planting of the trees was a programme organised to commemorate the 60th birthday anniversary of the Governor who he said had restored hope in the hopeless in all socio-economic strata.
Akanji, said the decision was taken by the management of the OSBC in complementing Aregbesola’s efforts to prevent the society against global environmental challenges which he said effects had destroyed some societies and nations of the world.
He said Aregbesola had planted the seed of love and the seed of service which had grown to a tree bearing fruits and whose fruits are being shared to all since assumption of office.
Describing him as an investor of unprecedented development, Akanji said it would be a sin if the management of the state-owned media organisation and the people of the state fail to honour Aregbesola for restoring hope in the hopeless in the education sector, free school feeding of pupils in elementary schools, unprecedented road construction across the state.
“People across all socio-economic strata, religious leanings, political divides and age groups cannot but celebrate Aregbesola at sixty considering how hardous the task of service to humanity through politics which he had chosen for himself, can be at the beginning in our clime.
“Aregbesola means many things to so many many people. Stakeholders in the state project are celebrating him for restoring hope in the hopeless in the education sector, free school feeding of pupils in elementary schools, unprecedented road construction across the state.
“Provision of employment, fighting poverty and ensuring food security through agriculture, enhancing healthy loving of the citizenry, promoting the Omoluabi ethos, communities in the state as well as financial re-engineering and proper management of the state’s resources for the maximum. Benefit of the all among others.
“For us in the OSBC’s family, we are appreciating Mr. Governor for all these and even much more.
“Aregbesola’s administration has done well in the area of provision of working tools for OSBC. You have gone down in history as the first Chief Executive of the state to be the number one fan of OSBC stations.
“Above all, in the past six and a half year, Ogbeni Aregbesola never intervened or censored the conglomerate in the performances of his professional responsibilities.
“We have enjoyed professional freedom fully to do our job to the best of our abilities. It is in that spirit that OSBC conglomerate is celebrating the unusual personality becoming unusual governor running an unusual government for unusual achievements applauded global in an unusual manner.
“From the seeds of love of service of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, we have raised sixty seedlings which will be planted today commemorating his sixtieth birthday.”
Packaged by Rahman Salami
