By MN Reporter

Migori county ministry of environment has urged residents to plant more trees to reach the 10 per cent forest cover envisioned in Vision 2030.

Speaking in Macalder Kanyarwanda ward during issuing of cheques to youths and women group that participated in afforestation project, Environment chief officer Joshua Ngwalla said that the department to reach the target.

Ngwalla also urged the women and youth groups that took part in the planting of the trees to act as watchdogs to help conserve the natural habitat in all the eight sub counties.

“Our youth and women groups have to be vigilant and offer security to our forests including the natural habitat that will improve our future forest cover,” he said.

Also speaking during the same function county executive in charge of Environment Polycarp Ating’a said that the county has spend over Sh13.2million to plant and also secure the forest for the betterment of the future generation.

“Our department will use all the means available according to the law to conserve our forest and the natural habitats within the county,” he said.

More than 30 youth and women groups from Macalder/Kanyarwanda, Kachieng and Kanyasa wards benefitted from the initiative by gettng cheques and vowed to keep watch and conserve the forests in the region.

The two refuted the rumours being circulated that the ministry has squandered the money which was meant to pay various groups who participated in tree planting process in the county early this where.

They said the amount is still intact and all 550 groups that participated in tree planting exercise will get their share.