In a bid to attract development and reduce the effects of environmental pollution and soil erosion, the executive chairman of Okerenkoko Federated Community (OFC) in Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, Hon. (Dr.) Shadrack Otuaro, has officially flagged-off the phase one of the 'Okerenkoko Tree Planting and Beautification' project.

The flagging-off of the project, whose cost to the community runs into millions of naira, was held 4pm on Sunday, August 27, 2023, at the community's waterfront with members of the OFC executives, elders, women and youths in attendance to witness the historic event.

Earlier, Dr. Otuaro, who flagged-off the exercise by planting the first tree in the location designated for the exercise, delivered a brief address to those present at the event, stressing on the importance of the project to the community and the advantages of planting trees, some of which include the prevention of soil erosion, the reduction of air pollution, the adding of beauty to the environment, the provision of shelter or shades, and a buffer against wind storm, among others.

Dr. Otuaro advised the Okerenkoko people that they should not view the project as belonging to the executives that initiated it, but that each and every one should take the project as their own because of the immense benefit it will attract to the community in the long run.

He therefore charged parents to caution their children to not tamper with the planted trees and to avoid uprooting them, just as he challenged every member of the community to take up the task of tendering to the plants by weeding and watering them at will, rather than leave such to members of the executive.

As part of the beautification project, the executive chairman also disclosed that a meeting will be called soonest to deliberate on the issue of the proliferation of illegal structures along the community's waterfront and to take a unilateral decision to halt as well as bring them down.

Speaking to PENGlobal Community after the project flag-off, the general secretary of OFC, Mr. Andrew Bebenimibo, disclosed that among the varieties of the trees to be planted is the royal palm, and that the total number of trees scheduled for planting are 300.

He further revealed that the tree planting exercise, which is the first phase of the beautification project, cost the community more than N2 million to initiate and execute.

"In the next one year and six months, the Okerenkoko people will begin to see the results of the trees as they will have grown by that time by God's grace," Mr. Bebenimibo added.

Another member of the executive, Amb. John Dekawei, the Public Relations Officer, said the project is a dream come true for the executives, while he also promised that there will be more of such transformative projects in the future that will further beautify and protect the environment.

Among other community members who also spoke on the development during the exercise include Comr. Justin Bebenimibo (a popular comedian known as 'Collabo') who termed the project as "Okerenkoko Modernisation", and Madam Ajabo-ere Aghai, a woman leader in the community. They applauded the Dr. Otuaro-led executive for coming up with the laudable project as well as pledge their support and willingness to see that the project succeeds.

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