Ogun State Begins ‘Beat Up’ Exercise to Replant Trees

By: JP Ashedzi

Ministry of Forestry Press Officer, Kayode Oduyebo, in a statement, has revealed that Ogun State Ministry of Forestry has commenced a Beat Up exercise in its bid at ensuring the ministry meets its one million trees planting targeted for the year.

In the statement, Oduyebo said Beat Up exercise is an effort made at replanting trees planted but not germinating. This may be due to lack of adequate rainfall and other factors that usually hinder the growth of such trees.

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Forestry, Timothy Olatunji, stated this during the exercise at Ijale Forest Reserve in Aworo, Yewa North Local Government Area, noting that it was part of the responsibilities of the ministry to go around reserves where trees have been planted to know those that have not germinated in order to replant them.

The permanent secretary said: “What we are doing right now is what we call Beat Up exercise. It is a process of replacing ungerminated tree seedlings. The reason for the non-survival of such trees might be due to inadequate rainfall and this we have to do, to meet our one million target which of course shall be met.”

Also, Director of Silviculture in the ministry, Akeem Akinsanya, appreciated the efforts of farmers in the community at planting trees alongside maize and cassava, charging them to ensure the survival of more than 20,000 planted seedlings on 16 hectares of land.