Cameroon's economic capital Douala is witnessing a series of tree planting exercise taking place in that part of the Country. Spearheaded by the Douala City Council Government Delegate Dr. Fritz Ntone Ntone, the exercise is aimed at fostering the fight against global warming in the World. Douala that has a population of close to two million inhabitants, the tree planting exercise according to some of the City Dwellers will disturb traffic and increase congestion in the town that is fast expanding. The council has promised that close to 10.000 trees will be planted before the end of this year.


The funds for project are expected to be raised through financial contributions from the public, which include enterprises.Wouri SDO, Bernard Atebede, launched the project on June 23, which was immediately followed by a tree planting week which ran from June 23-28. Teams of council workers trained for the operation planted hundreds of trees during that week. Another tree planting week will run from December 8-13. However, the Douala Urban Council Government Delegate, Dr. Fritz Ntone Ntone, has stated that the project will run non-stop throughout the year.

The selected sites include some street sides, the middle of some boulevards, around some major road junctions, leisure parks and council forests, among others.Different species of trees have been chosen to suit the different sites. On the side lines, is a smaller project to plant flowers at major roundabouts as well as leisure parks across the city. Ntone Ntone explained that the projects to plant the trees and flowers across Douala fall within the diversified campaign to beautify the city. He said the projects were also within the council's vast programme on hygiene and sanitation.

The city of Douala noted for always being dirty, the tree planting according to Ntone Ntone will curb the rate of dirtiness in Douala. With a seaport, an airport, a railway station, and other facilities that attract foreign investors and businessmen to establish in Douala, all these falls in line with President Paul Biya's idea of poverty reduction strategy. The tree planting has seen some close to 200 workers being trained and employed by the council to fully take part in the exercise.

He however argued that if the council is asking the population to contribute funds for the tree project, it is not because the council cannot raise the money, but rather because it is the civic responsibility of a population to develop their town or municipality. He said when the public contributes to a development project; it would naturally feel more committed to protect it. The Government Delegate admitted that he copied some of the ongoing projects in Douala from what he saw in Yaoundé.