Gov Ayade declares Green Holiday for planting of one million trees

Picture of the Governor's wife, Dr. Linda Ayade flagging off tree planting in Calabar recently

Cross River State Governor, Professor Ben Ayade has declared July 30th every year, starting from this year, as a public holiday for the planting of trees in a ceremony known as the Green Carnival.

A statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Christian Ita, quoted the governor as explaining that setting aside a day for tree planting “underscores our readiness for the redd+ and commitment to forest conservation and management.”

The governor, who disclosed that one million trees will be planted during this year’s Green Carnival, said the exercise is also aimed at addressing the challenge of urban deforestation.

The event which is to take place simultaneously across the 18 local government areas of The state “is one of the measures to tackle global warming, deforestation and climate change as well as to also drive home our commitment to the implementation of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)on the Superhighway,” the statement quoted the governor further.

He expressed the optimism that the state’s forest cover, which represents 58 percent of Nigeria’s forest cover, will through the Green Carnival, grow to 68 percent.

He pledged that the Urban Green Canopy Calabar initiative will sustain Calabar as the greenest city in Nigeria and Cross River as the greenest state.

Consequently, all schools, homes, ministries, government agencies and departments, banks, hospitals and all business premises must plant new trees.

Subsequently it will be an offence not to plant a tree on that day, the statement added.