- Mwangangi said they are determined to ensuring their contribution towards President William Ruto’s ambitious 15 billion tree plantation by 2030 is achieved.
- He said there was need to do more on matters environmental management and sustainability.
Image: GEORGE OWITI
Environmentalists in Machakos County have been encouraged to work with educational institutions in their quest to promote environmental conservation and sustainability.
Machakos Deputy Governor Francis Mwangangi vouched for adoption of a-child-adopt-a-tree model in their tree planting projects which will see lots of trees planted and grown.
Mwangangi said they are determined to ensuring their contribution towards President William Ruto’s ambitious 15 billion tree plantation by 2030 is achieved.
He said a-child-adopt-a-tree strategy would ensure sustainability and successful growth of trees planted in the county.
“In your mission you have stated that you want to plant 500 trees in this school. You can see how each child can plant a tree and take good care of it so that we have lots of the planted trees grow to maturity. This is the sustainability that we are talking about,” the DG said.
The second in command in Machakos County spoke on Friday when he presided over a tree planting exercise at Athi River Primary School where Governor Wavinya Ndeti is an alumna.
The school has over 2,000 learners and more than 40 teachers hired by the Teachers Service Commission.
Mwangangi lauded the organizations involved in such initiatives in Machakos stating that they were for good course hence need necessary support from not only communities they operate in, but also other actors.
He said there was need to do more on matters environmental management and sustainability.
"The national government should also support the county government in supporting various initiatives meant for ensuring environmental conservation and sustainability within the town," he said.
Both Machakos and national governments collect revenues from Athi River town among others across the county hence the justification for developmental support, he said.
The DG called on other players such as industrialists, cooperates, philanthropists, international organizations and private institutions to support development initiatives in Machakos County.
“We have lots of industries in Mavoko subcounty. We can team up and for example erect perimeter walls in Athi River Primary School where Governor Wavinya Ndeti learnt during her primary education,” he said.
By so doing, he said, learners and teachers will be well secured in the school round the clock.
Mwangangi encouraged teachers and learners at the school and others in the county to keep working hard since education is the equaliser between the haves and the have not.
He said with good foundation, hard work, discipline, team work and prayers, any child can become great in society including president, doctor, lawyers among other professions.
“In the mission of modernising this school, I will be your ambassador.”
The DG called for team work among teachers, learners and parents for the child’s best interests.
He also urged Machakos MPs to utilise well National Constituency Development Funds in supporting development projects in their respective constituencies as expected.
“When I was the Yatta MP, there was an aspect of environment in the CDF. When all leaders team up and serve the electorate as expected using the public funds in their custody, the society will never be the same again,” Mwangangi said.
He said their administration’s milk distribution project to all ECDE centres across the county was ongoing uninterrupted.
“As ECDE children benefit from milk and feeding programs, we are committed to ensuring that their counterparts in primary school also benefit from the same. Let’s join hands so that we do good things which God wants us to do,” Mwangangi said.