BENIN CITY – The Chairman of the Edo State Forestry Commission, Hon. Valentine Owamagbe Asuen, has welcomed the leadership of the Africa Initiative for Peace Project to Edo State, ahead of the launch of the 2025 World Environment Day tree planting campaign.
Led by Mrs Bernadette Strebel, President of the Association of World Peace (Europe) and Vice President of the Africa Initiative for Peace Project, the delegation is in the state to finalise preparations for the ambitious initiative, which aims to plant one million trees in Benin City.
The project is a collaborative effort between the Edo State Government and the Africa Initiative for Peace Project, and will feature the commissioning of a 28.5-hectare forest plantation by Governor Monday Okpebholo.
Hon. Asuen, speaking on behalf of the state government, assured the group of the full support of the Forestry Commission and reaffirmed Edo’s commitment to environmental restoration.
In her remarks, Mrs Strebel expressed gratitude to Hon. Asuen and Governor Okpebholo for their backing and described the “One Million Tree Planting for Peace” project as a vital environmental and peacebuilding initiative.
According to the organisers, the project aligns with Governor Okpebholo’s climate-conscious agenda and is expected to serve as a model of sustainability for other states.
They emphasised that beyond environmental benefits, the initiative would also contribute to local economic development.
