Aba residents frown at planting of Tenera palms trees on Abia streets

Thu, Jul 12, 2018 | By publisher


Agriculture

SOME residents of Aba, a commercial town in Abia, have frowned at the planting of Tenera palm trees on streets and road medians in Abia cities by the Ministry of Agriculture.

The residents, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in separate interviews on Thursday in Aba, said some of the palms were dying, while the surviving ones would obstruct movement on the roads.

Mr Emmanuel Ebere, a resident said that the palm trees being planted on the street medians in Aba would cover the street sidewalks and disturb the movement of citizens when fully grown.

Ebere said that government should set aside land spaces to plant the palm trees to meet the target of planting about seven million Tenera palms within Aba town.

He said that the palm trees would constitute danger to humans and public utilities such as street lights if they were allowed to grow on street medians.

Another resident, Mrs Nkechinyere Oyibo said that the plan to plant the trees on such narrow roads was not proper as they would constitute nuisance to the road users.

She said the state government should have planted flowers that would not grow into huge trees on the road to beautify the streets.

She urged the government to reconsider its plan with a view to  stop planting those trees to save the residents the danger and challenge of contending with trees on the streets.

Godwin Ajuzie, a businessman said that even though he did not know the kind of tree being planted, government should plant the palms in only designated areas, not on roads.

He said that if government continued planting the palms where they were not supposed to be, they would die out of lack of nutrients.

He urged the state government to reconsider its decision to plant Tenera palms, adding that much of the effort would be a waste as many would not survive.

Obinna Uchenna, a driver said that he had seen the palms planted on the street medians and roadsides but did not think the idea was a wise one.

He expressed doubt over who would be taking care of the trees  when they start growing, adding that it was not right to have palms planted on road medians in the city.

He suggested that flowers be planted on the street medians and on roadsides, while Tenera palms should be given land spaces in farms to ensure they were well taken care of to grow to maturity.

NAN reports that Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu had last week told residents of Aba that he directed state officials to plant Tenera palm species on road medians and street sides to boost the state’s economic power. (NAN)

– July 12, 2018 @ 13:35 GMT |

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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