The National and County Government employees in Kisumu County have projected to plant 63 million trees in the next 10 years.
Spearheaded by Kisumu County Commissioner Ms. Josephine Ouko, a committee has been set up to fast-track the National Tree Growing & Restoration Campaign aimed at planting 15 billion trees translating to 30 per cent tree cover by 2030 in line with the Presidential directive.
Ouko, flanked by Kisumu County City Manager Abala Wanga, told a County Heads of Department forum Wednesday that the initiative is part of the President’s climate change mitigation agenda.
She revealed that over the next 36 months, the county committee already established will work closely with local youths, students, public and private partners to ensure the roads, water sources and forests are strategically selected for the tree planting program.
“You are the ambassadors of the President Dr. William Ruto on tree planting and as such move fast to discharge your patriotic duty with passion and help mobilize members of the public to understand the noble initiative,” she explained.
The CC issued a directive to all departmental heads to move with speed and rally their staff behind the program alongside partners from the private sector as part of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) on the ground.
Ouko stated that the first time tree planting exercise was kicked off in Kisumu by the Principal Secretary (PS) Trade, Alfred K’Ombudo and the former Ag. Regional Commissioner, Pauline Dola among other dignitaries at Kajulu hills recently.
All government departments must brace themselves for the tree planting exercise in the respective sub-counties of Kisumu Central, Kisumu East, Kisumu West, Kadibo, Nyando, Muhoroni, Nyakach and Seme.
Under the program each Ministry and department will be allocated specific areas where they will plant and grow the tree seedlings set to be bought from the local Lake Basin Development Authority (LBDA) nurseries which already has 15000 seedlings.
By Joseph Ouma
