In a bid to fight erosion which has eaten deep in various Communities in Anambra communities, Governor Charles Soludo at Godwin Achebe Stadium, Onitsha South LG officially launched a program designed to plant at least 10M seedlings in Anambra State in the next two years to curtail the menace of the erosion.
According to Mr Governor, “Our environment is our number one existential trait and we must do everything, especially in the light of climate change to recover our land.
“Our mission is to make Anambra the greenest state in Africa, we must learn from our past to build sustainable prosperity, we must empower people sustainably.
He noted that Malaysia was built largely at the back of the palm revolution, China rebuilt poverty significantly on the back of Agro-allied industrialization while Southeastern Nigeria was the fastest Subregion in the world in the late 50s and early 60s based on the palm revolution.
He also stated that “1.1M seedlings have already been distributed between 2022 and 2023, that this year and today we are officially launching the distribution of 1M and 40,000 seedlings for this year.
“7000 palm seedlings, 200,000 breadfruit(ukwa) which have become extremely expensive, we will bring it back to become a staple food, 50,000 Orji Igbo, 50,000 bitter kola, 40,000 pawpaws.
“All these are currently been distributed in the 320 wards in the State, down to the families.
“Today we have talked through that one of the silver bullets, we must reinvent will be reinvesting our past is for us to emerge a big tent by empowering over 1M households over some time by planting at least 10M Seedlings, economic trees, oil palm seedlings, coconut seedlings, Akwa.
“We will plant hundreds of thousands of new ukwa trees in Anambra, bitter kola, pawpaw, soursop, our agenda is to empower people sustainably, we want to give them something to fish for life, build a new industrial ecosystem for life and we will be creating the greenest and the most environmental ecosystem in Anambra
The Commissioner for Agriculture Dr Foster Ihejiofor in his welcoming address said that it is an exciting corporate journey towards a future in which agriculture is not just a means of sustainability, but a thriving industry that fuels our economic growth.
“This agenda is not just a plan, an unflinching commitment to harnessing the immense potential of our agricultural sector to drive social progress and create opportunities for all, a testament to Mr Governor’s unwavering dedication to building a resilient and prosperous inclusive ecosystem in the state
Reacting, the Chairman of Onitsha South LG, Chief Emeka Orji advised the beneficiaries of the seedlings who are tenants to plant the seedlings in the villages and harvest them when the time comes instead of wasting them.
He lauded the Governor for the love he has for the people of Onitsha South and vows to facilitate the construction of Bida Road, Modebe Avenue, Uga Street, Nkrumah, Orlu Street, behind Top Rank, behind Stadium, etc.
After the event hosted some government officials: Anambra State Chief of Staff, Chief Ernest Ezeajughi, Managing Director MD, Anambra Capital Territory Development Authority, ACTDA, Chief Ossy Onuko and wife, Ocha Brigade Boss, Chief Celestine Anere, SSA to the Governor on Security Hon. Obiechine Obieze, among others at Notion Hotel and Suit, Woliwo.
Onitsha South LG Media Team
