Migori County planted more than 100,000 tree seedlings today as residents joined other Kenyans in marking the second edition of National Tree Growing Day and remembering those who have died as a result of floods.
Led by PS Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Esther Muoria, area residents, students, and teachers from mainly TVET institutions came out in large numbers to plant tree seedlings during the event launched at Migori Teachers Training College (TTC).
Dr. Muoria, addressing participants soon after planting several tree seedlings at Migori TTC grounds, asked Kenyans, especially those from the Lake Region, to move out of riparian lands and leave them for tree growing.
She underscored the need for all Kenyans to champion the development of the country by protecting the environment through the planting of more trees, saying it was the only sure way to make the population safe.
“It’s our responsibility to make this country a better place to live,” she affirmed, and she regretted the deaths of Kenyans who have so far perished as a result of floods caused by the surging climate change.
Dr. Muoria revealed that her ministry had been assigned a 50 million tree-growing target to help meet the 15 billion tree-growing target that the National government has set to achieve in 10 years.
She said it is only through concerted efforts by all institutions under her ministry to plant trees that the challenges of climate change would be mitigated.
Dr. Muoria urged the young people in the country to fully join the activities of increasing forest cover in their respective areas and be ambassadors of afforestation campaigns.
The PS also underscored the need for young people to embrace technical skills. She explained that opportunities are available for those who qualify to land good jobs in Kenya and outside the country.
The department had started a programme to see young people taken to work outside the country, she announced.
County Commissioner David Gitonga announced that Migori County has a target of 4.5 million trees to grow but regretted that the region has so far only managed to plant 1.5 million trees.
He said the region boasts a tree seedling survival rate of 95 per cent due to the good climate, and people should take advantage of this to increase the number of trees on their lands.
The CC assured residents that security agencies in the region would ensure that the riparian areas around Lake Victoria and existing rivers are left free of human activities other than forest cover.
By George Agimba
