The Chairman of Wood Expo Nigeria (WEN) Synergies, Danny Sokari-George has said the country’s 25 million trees planting target is achievable, especially if stakeholders are involved in the programme.
Speaking at the pre-event press conference for 2022 Wood Expo Nigeria Synergies, organised to create awareness for the event schedule for Landmark Event Centre in Lagos between 7th and 10th November, 2022, the Chairman expressed his organisation’s willingness to participate.
According to him, in order to birth the 25 million trees across the country, WEN Synergies will partner state governments in the effort and engage the youths to create jobs from wood value-chain.
Sokari-George said Wood Expo Nigeria Synergies has a vision of partnering state governors to help the federal government realise its plan of planting 25 million trees.
“We want to contribute to the president’s plan in the planting of 25 million trees by seeking partnerships with state governors.
“It is not a waste of time to secure land and plant trees because when you plant trees today there are ready buyers to buy it off here in Nigeria and abroad. And biologically it is beneficial to the environment.
“We will engage the youths in planting of trees because it will be beneficial to both parties. The youths will benefit economically and it will also help our solve our forest depletion.
“Tree planting investment can give you three time of your investment in ten years.
“We are going to have a wood exhibition in Lagos from 7th to 10 th of November 2022 and you will see all that you can do with wood.
“WEN Synergies has a vision by the architect who is planning to grow and use wood in a sensible manner.”
He added that If our forests are occupied actively by good people, terrorists can’t reside there; “we can’t leave the tree planting plan to die because of insecurity,” Sokari-George said.
Also speaking, the company’s director, Hassan Abdulkadir said WEN Synergies will teach Nigerians how to turn waste to energy at the Wood Expo in November.
“We will teach Nigerians how to produce biogas and organic fertilizer with waste.
“This thing has been praticalised in various places across the country; our research institutions, some private institutes, and even at household levels. So as we have been doing at wood Expo showcasing this technologies and how they work. Definitely you are going to see this and how it works come November at the wood Expo in Lagos.
“We are not only organising an exhibition alone but we are also building capacity, by creating awareness so that individuals, cooperate entities will know how to utilise this forest resources.
“Bamboo if harnexed can create millions of jobs because of its value chain.
“Bamboo can be used for bio energy; We will introduce bamboo technology in Nigeria, for bags, chairs, tables, flask, bio-fertilser and others.
“Our major problem with wood is our inability to convert wood into semi or finished products. We will bring in investors who will provide the technology and we are engaging stakeholders who are engaging policy makers for a policy drive,” Abdulkadir said.
