The staff of the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum and its Semi-Autonomous Government Agencies (SAGAs) targets to plant 30 million tree seedlings in the coming 10 years as a contribution to President Ruto’s directive of planting 15 billion trees by 2032.
Speaking at Kibunja area in Molo Sub- County, the Principal Secretary for the State Department for Petroleum Mr. Mohamed Liban said the target of 30 million tree seedlings has been distributed to the two State Departments for Energy and that for Petroleum as well as the 11 SAGAs domiciled in the Ministry.
Yesterday, officials from the State Department and the participating SAGAs planted 22,000 seedlings in Kibunja and Jogoo Forest sites in Koibatek Forest in Baringo County, bordering Molo sub-county.
At Kibunja, PS Liban was accompanied by the local leadership, members of the Community Forest Association (CFA), National Government Administrative Officers (NGAOs) from both Molo and Koibatek Sub-Counties, Sub- County Security teams, members of Staff from the State Department for Petroleum, Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) as well as Geothermal Development Company (GDC).
Administrative wise, the Forest sites adopted by the State Department is in Baringo County while the site adopted by the State Department for Petroleum was closer to Molo sub-county. In this site, State Department plans to plant approximately 27,500 seedlings on every second Friday of the month during the ongoing rains up to the month of October.
PS Liban appealed to the community bordering the adopted areas to be at the fore-front of protecting the planted tree seedlings saying that forests were life-giving and were sources of tributaries that feed the rivers flowing in the arid and semi-arid areas of the Country.
He said the government was partnering with communities to ensure the success of President Ruto’s directive of planting 15 billion trees in the next 10 years with the aim of increasing the Country’s Forest cover from 10 to 12 percent.
Community members granted the opportunity to practice the shamba system in the areas being replanted were urged to ensure a 99 per cent success rate of the trees in line with the objectives of the system.
The Chair of the Community Forest Association (CFA) Mr. John Busiega appealed to the Forest Department to assist in uprooting the blue gum tree species known for drying up swampy areas and destroying the ecological balance of an area.
On behalf of the CFA, Mr. Busiega promised to diligently take care of the seedlings entrusted to
them adding that they were well versed with the benefits derived from forests.
By Viviene Simwa
