Ekiti tree growers, Saw millers enjoined to intensify tree planting

Ekiti tree growers, Saw millers enjoined to intensify tree planting

Ekiti State Tree Growers Association, Saw Millers and other
stakeholders in the timber and wood industry have been charged to
redouble efforts at planting trees to develop more forests and
forestall deforestation and desert encroachment in the state.

The Commissioner for Ministry of Local Government and Community
Development, Prof. Adio Afolayan gave the charged while playing host
to the Association of Tree growers, Ekiti State Chapter in his office
in Ado-Ekiti.

        The Commissioner who is also the Vice-Chairman of the

Association assured them of the State Government’s support and
readiness to accommodate genuine investors in tree processing in order
to add value to their produce and also boost the internally generated
revenue base of the state..

        He pleaded for the support of the present Administration

in order to deliver the dividend of democracy to all and sundry.

In his own remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr.
Ayoola Owolabi disclosed that one of the discussions at the retreat
organized for Permanent Secretaries and top government functionaries
recently in the State was centered on how to improve agriculture
sector to boost the state economy.

Mr. Ayoola Owolabi reassured the association of the government
support, more so that they are operating in one the sectors that
formed the four developmental agenda of the Governor Fayemi-led
administration.

        Earlier, a member of the Association, Mr. Olubunmi Olatilu

who spoke on behalf of others congratulated the Commissioner on his
appointment and thanked Governor Kayode Fayemi for appointing one of
them as a member of his cabinet.

He highlighted some of the challenges of the association to include
unavailability of tree seedlings, bad road network to their tree
plantations and members’ financial constraints to expand their
business among others, pleaded government’s assistance in tackling
them.

Olatilu who noted that there are about three million stands of trees
across Ekiti State as at then solicited government patronage, support
and partnership, especially in getting machinery which could be used
to process their wood to meet the international standard.