Rachuonyo West Sub-county Deputy County Commissioner (DCC) Jacinta Ogada has called on students to nurture the already planted trees to ensure they survive.
Ogada said planting trees is important, but growing them to maturity calls for good care and protection to increase their chances of survival.
“We don’t want to miss out on our target; protect the trees that we have planted today,” she said, asking students and teachers to be at the forefront to ensure they protect the trees, which they had already planted in their schools
The DCC said the government targets to grow 15 billion trees by the year 2032, promising that soon a programme would be rolled- out to monitor the progress of all the trees being planted in schools
Ogada was addressing students, teachers and community members at Kodhoch Secondary School in Kanyapir location during a tree planting exercise to mark Mazingira Day.
During the exercise, 7,755 trees were planted in both Rachuonyo North and Rachuonyo West Sub-counties, covering 60 schools.
The seedlings that included assorted indigenous trees and fruit trees were donated by the government, NGOs working in the area and the Interior Principal Secretary, Dr. Raymond Omollo.
“Apart from the normal benefits of trees, the fruit trees we are planting during this national event are good for healthy living,” she said.
The DCC, who represented her Rachuonyo North Sub-county counterpart, Aaron Koross, during the celebrations, encouraged teachers to impart to learners the culture of tree planting to ensure restoration of the environment and also for nutrition purposes.
Ogada was accompanied by Assistant County Commissioner (I) for Rachuonyo North Subcounty, Shadrack Too; Assistant County Commissioner for East Karachuonyo Division, Ezekiel Odhiambo; Subcounty Police Commander, Stephen Tanui; and In-Charge Prisons Department Richard Makori.
During the function, Sub-county Forest Officer Peter Omondi took the students through the procedure of tree planting and the importance of growing trees.
By Moseti Julius
