Lekki Deep Seaport has planted 200 coconut trees in the Itoke community towards the restoration of the land ecosystem and to combat the problem of climate change as part of activities marking the 2024 World Environment Day.
Speaking at the event, the chief operating officer of Lekki Port, Laurence Smith, said the coconut planting initiative aligns with Lekki Port’s commitment to restoring the ecosystem.
Smith said Lekki Port would continue prioritising its environment and communities’ safety by implementing ideas that impact lives.
Also speaking, general manager of Lagos State Coconut Development Authority (LASCODA), Dapo Olakulehin, said the state is committed to promoting coconut heritage.
While applauding the management of Lekki Port, Olakulehin said the government will continue to take action that will not only engender environmental sustainability but also help bring back people’s livelihood.
The zonal director of Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), Yetunde Atoyebi, commended Lekki Port and urged corporate bodies to collaborate with the government to safeguard the environment.
“In five years, we will be amazed that all the seedlings will have grown into coconut trees. Of course, the communities will reap today’s fruit because they would have ended up leaving a better ecosystem for generations to come,” Atoyebi added.
She listed the benefits of coconut planting including the prevention of flooding, protection of the shoreline, and restoration of means of people’s livelihood, she charged the communities to take the initiative as their own by ensuring that it becomes a legacy.
On his part, Lateef Shokoya, Baale of Itoke Community, lauded the management of Lekki Port for taking actions that best serve the interest of the people living within the Ibeju-Lekki axis through different lofty initiatives.
Representatives of regulatory agencies attended the event at the port including the Nigerian Ports Authority, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, the Department of State Services, the Nigerian Police Force as well as residents of Itoke and Idotun communities: the container terminal operator, Lekki Freeport Terminal and the zone operator Lagos Free Zone Company.