The Lagos State Parks and Gardens Agency (LASPARK) has concluded plans to commence a training and empowerment programme for 600 new set of young horticulturists. It said that this is in a bid to further enhance the state greening initiative and improve the aesthetics of the environment.

The participants, who were selected from 57 Local Government and Local Council Development Areas across the state, will be known as ‘LASPARK GREEN HAND’.

LASPARK General Manager, Mrs. Abimbola Jijoho-Ogun, who made this known recently, while addressing news men at the Agency’s Head Office in Ikeja, stated that the aim of the training and empowerment programme is to get a new set of skilled and semi-skilled workers for the sustainable greening programme of the State Government.

She disclosed that the programmme is scheduled to commence on Tuesday, October 4, 2016 and is expected to span two weeks with both theory and practical sessions. Each of these sessions, according to her, will be handled by seasoned professionals, who have made their marks in all areas of environmental/horticultural studies.

Jijoho-Ogun explained that the training would equip participants with the necessary skills that would enable them compete effectively with established horticulturists who are already in the industry.

She further stated that the practical session of the training programme has been designed to take place simultaneously in all the five divisions of the state for easy accessibility of all

participants with consideration given to their respective locations.

She identified venues for each of the five Divisions as Epe Recreation Centre (Epe Division), Iru LCDA, Iru-Obalende (Lagos Island Division), Iba LCDA, Ojo (Badagry Division), Oko-Oba Plant Nursery, Johnson Agiri Complex, Agege (Ikeja Division) and Erikorodo Plant Nursery, by Lucky Fibre (Ikorodu Division).

LASPARK General Manager said the curriculum for the training programme was designed to train and empower participants to function optimally within the society, adding that courses to be taken during the programme include Overview and Introduction to Horticultural Business, Health & Safety Culture in Horticultural Business, Introduction to Parks and Gardens Establishment and Management, Identification and Operation of Horticultural tools and equipment, Pest and Disease Control, among others.

According to her, “It is important to state that the participants on completion of the training programme will be assigned to some of the established horticulturists who are on government contract for a week internship. They will thereafter be empowered and deployed to all the State gardens and parks to complement the tree planting, beautification and landscaping projects of the State Government.”

Jijoho-Ogun also noted that in the last nine months over 100 additional rehabilitated and beautified locations across the State have been concluded or on-going to improve aesthetics of the environment.

The LASPARK boss therefore enjoined Lagosians to continue to support government effort towards making the environment a better place for our generation and posterity.

•Photo shows one of the numerous parks and gardens that dot the Lagos landscape.

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