ibironkeeniola 
The Ogun State Government has signed a pact with Nigerian Breweries Plc for the reforestation of 500 hectares of the Olokemeji forest reserve in Abeokuta.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, which took place at the Ministry of Forestry in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, State Commissioner for Forestry, Hon. Tunji Akinosi decried the encroachment of forest reserves in the state by people who engage in illegal farming.
According to him, the state was targeting the regeneration of 1,000 hectares of tree plantation annually, in addition to this new initiative with Nigerian Breweries.
On her part, the Director of Corporate Affairs, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Mrs. Sade Morgan, disclosed that her company would be planting 600,000 trees in the Reserve.
According to her, the initiative would also mitigate the effects of global warming through environmental preservation, watershed protection and soil water replenishment.
“We plan to replace trees that have been harvested from 500 hectares of land at the Olokemeji forest reserve in Abeokuta using species of trees that are indigenous to the area.
“A very integral part of our Every Drop strategy is the water balancing initiative, which is aimed at retaining rainfall runoffs within the watershed and recharge aquifers.
“This is to be achieved through collaborative actions with other stakeholders based in the watershed.
“The reforestation of 500 hectares of the Olokemeji forest reserve in Abeokuta has been identified as a suitable water retention project to improve the watershed health.
“To fulfill our objective of protecting water resources, we aim to restore a portion of the Olokemeji forest reserve that has been denuded of trees, improving the recharge of the Ewekoro and Abeokuta aquifer and enhancing the health of the watershed,” she said.
SOURCE: AGRONIGERIA