Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji has called for renewed commitment to sustainable forest management, describing tree planting as an investment in the future of the environment, economy and coming generations.
Governor Oyebanji made the call on Tuesday in Ado-Ekiti during the celebration of World Forest Day 2026.
Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Habibat Adubiaro, the governor said forestry is not only an environmental necessity but also a key driver of economic growth.
He said the sector has strong potential to boost agriculture, support rural development, create jobs and attract private investment.
Oyebanji urged residents and investors to explore opportunities in tree cultivation, noting that timber investments can yield over 10 per cent annually.
He lamented the overexploitation of Ekiti’s timber resources in the past decades without adequate replanting and called for diversification beyond teak and gmelina to species such as afara and mahogany.
The Governor disclosed that private tree growers in the state had planted over one million trees, adding that smallholder farmers could benefit by integrating tree planting with crops like cocoa.
He said government incentives include subsidised seedlings, technical support and reduced harvesting fees for registered plantations.
“The best time to plant a tree was yesterday; the second best time is today,” he said.
Oyebanji also outlined measures to restore forest resources, including funding for seedlings, recruitment of forest guards and rehabilitation of control posts.
He emphasised that sustainable forest management is critical to food security, climate resilience and economic prosperity, and called for collaboration to curb illegal logging.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Ekiti State Forestry Commission, Mr Idowu Akinlabi, said the commission had recorded notable progress through intensified patrols, improved monitoring and strict enforcement of forestry laws.
He disclosed that reforestation and tree-planting programmes were ongoing across the state despite challenges such as illegal logging, bush burning, encroachment and limited resources.
Akinlabi said about 150 hectares of illegal Indian hemp farms were destroyed within forest reserves by vigilant forest guards and agro marshals employed by the state government to secure the State Forest reserves .
He urged stakeholders, including community leaders and timber contractors, to partner with the commission, describing forest conservation as a critical investment in the state’s future.
In her goodwill message, Chairman of the Ekiti State House Committee on Environment, Mrs Iyabo Fakunle-Okieimen, said all stakeholders in the State owe it a duty to protect the state’s forest reserves.
Also, the State Commissioner for Environment, Mrs Tosin Ajisafe-Aluko, stressed the role of forests in environmental sustainability, climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation.
She said forests remain a major source of income through employment, food supply, fuel and shelter, with millions depending on the forest ecosystem for their livelihoods.
The Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Mr Ebenezer Boluwade, said his ministry had collaborated with the Forestry Commission in the last three years on forest conservation efforts.
He noted that in view of the negative effects of climate change on agriculture, stakeholders must intensify efforts to ensure environmental sustainability.
In her remarks, the State Head of Service, Dr Folakemi Olomojobi, represented by a director in her office, Mr L.T. Alesin, said stakeholders have critical roles to play in protecting and restoring forests and promoting eco-friendly practices.
She said such efforts would safeguard the environment and unlock economic opportunities for future generations.
Also speaking, the Director-General of the State Bureau of Tourism Development, Mr Wale Ojo-Lanre, said forests are vital to sustaining life and also support tourism through recreation and nature-based activities.
He described the Ise Forest Reserve as a tourism asset that must be protected, noting that it harbours a remnant population of the endangered Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes ellioti) and serves as habitat for hundreds of butterfly species.