From Beatrice Gondyi Bauchi
The Bauchi Field office of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in collaboration with an environmentalist, other stakeholders have called for massive tree planting and nurturing in order to overcome the challenges of climate change, to mark the 2025 World Environment Day.
In her remarks at the event organized by the Bauchi state government, through the State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA), with support from the UNICEF at the Bauchi College of Agriculture on Friday, UNICEF’s Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) officer, Nanbam Michael said the day is celebrated every 5th of June.
She recalled a flooding that occurred recently in some parts of Nigeria where houses and valuables were lost due to climate change and stressed the importance of tree planting to save the environment.
“If things are happening like this, we have to wake up, remind ourselves and take action by planting trees, avoid indiscriminate felling of trees to avert future occurrence and make the environment habitable for all.
According to her, one of the ways to prevent rainstorm, flooding, erosion and other environmental hazards is to plant trees.
“We celebrate world environment day to remind us about the importance of keeping the environment safe for ourselves, our youth and our children.
She said having recognized the importance of environment, the commemoration of the World Environment Day was necessary to remind critical stakeholders on the need to create more awareness on the dangers of indiscriminate tree felling.
“We are gathered here to remind our community leaders, our fathers the traditional leaders and all stakeholders, the duty bearers to mobilize and sensitize the people on the need to plant, protect and nurture trees and not to cut them”, she said.
Nanbam who further explained that having more trees in the environment will help in mitigating the effect of flood in our communities, adding that the fight against climate change requires active involvement of the youths.
“We want them to have it as a lifestyle, planting of trees and not cutting it.
In his remarks, the Provost of the Bauchi state College of Agriculture, Dr. Ahmed Isah Ahmed expressed gratitude to UNICEF and the state government for allowing the institution host the event.
Represented by Modibbo Saleh Misau, Head of Department (HOD) Forestry and Environmental Technology of the college, the Provost urged the traditional leaders in attendance to sensitize their subjects on the dangers of climate change and the need for environmental Protection through planting of trees around them.
He said that college has earmarked a plantation complex within the school that will accommodate over one thousand trees.
According to him, the college intend to plant many varieties of trees within the earmarked complex such as 150 Malena tree (a timber producing specie), 100 stands of Mango (improved variety), Sweet orange, Guava tree and a number of cashew tree.
“Most of these trees are fruits and they will yield fruits that will supplement food in terms of scarcity of other food items and they also have the ability to restore soil quality, improve soil fertility, as well as address the incidents of erosion and flooding”, he said.
He expressed readiness to collaborate with the RUWAS and the UNICEF any time similar event is held.
In a goodwill message, the district head of Birshi, Alhaji Lawal Ahmed who was represented by a traditional tile holder, and the village head of Yelwan Tudu, Adamu Zabairu, all commended the effort of the UNICEF and the Bauchi state government towards enlightening members of the public on the dangers of environmental hazards to human existence.
Speaking separately, the traditional leaders while sharing experience of environmental threat within their respective communities, pledged to step down the awareness to their subjects for a better environment.
World Environment Day is the United Nations’ day for encouraging worldwide awareness and action for the protection of the environment.
Discussion about this post