Mutharika launches 2018/2019 tree planting season

President Peter Mutharika has on Saturday launched the 2018/2019 national forests season at Malingunde in Lilongwe, where he marked the beginning of the season by planting two trees with a call for stakeholders to play a leading role in environmental conservation.

 In his address that was monitored on Malawi Broadcasting Corporation Television [MBC TV], Mutharika stressed on the need for other stakeholders to emulate steps being taken by the private sector in making sure that trees are being planted in different parts of the country.

The President was accompanied to the ceremony by, among others, Minister of Health (MoH) Atupele Muluzi and Minister of Natural Resources Energy and Environment Agrrey Massi.

On the launch of the tree planting exercise, Mutharika said government is going to plant 60 million trees between now and April next year tbring back the depleted forests.

He said the establishment of Malawi Youth Forest Restoration programme, which will see youths get  employed to restore a 10 000 hectares of forest will help enhance forest management system in the quest of conserving natural resources countrywide.

This year’s tree planting exercise is unique since it will involve youths who will be receiving remuneration from the 2018/2019 national budget, a development some commentators, including the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament said is cosmetic and a campaign budget.

Natural Resources Mining and Energy Minister Massi appealed to communities to join the President in reafforest Dzalanyama, which is the source of Lilongwe and Diamphwe rivers.

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