Beatrice Gondyi Bauchi
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has stressed the need for youth’s active involvement in the fight against climate change and ensuring environmental safety.
The Chief of Field Office, UNICEF Bauchi, Dr. Nuzhat Rafique stated this while speaking to newsmen after a tree planting campaign programme organized by the Bauchi state government with the UNICEF support to commemorate the 2025 World Environment Day at the College of Education (Technical) Dass, Dass local government area of Bauchi state on Thursday.
“Today UNICEF is celebrating with Dass local government area, the World Environment Day, I would like to thank His Excellency, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi state and Local government chairman of Dass, emir of Dass and all the representatives here, from RUWASSA, from College of Education (Technical) Dass that really take this initiative very seriously, which is World Environment Day”, she said.
“We have to save our land, our land is our future. Youth involvement is one of the key measures to take because they are the future leaders and they need a good planet earth, they need the earth with plants, the earth can be safe with all these plants, if we cut them we are destroying the ecosystem”, Dr. Rafique noted.
According to her, presently with the climate change, it is very important that the youth becomes active members of environmental sustainability to halt the climate change which is causing danger to the people, especially the children.
“These children have to grow in a safer environment. Involving youth, involving communities is the key objective of UNICEF to safe the environment”, she added.
Dr. Rafique who opined that the involvement of youth in environmental protection measures will make the tree planting campaign successful, stated that the UNICEF is working with the youth through different engagements to ensure that the ecosystem is protected for environmental safety.
“We have engagement with youth on WASH activities, like for an Open Defecation Free (ODF) continuity, also the climate change initiative that UNICEF is taking, we are always involving the youth because they are the ones who can continue working, and we are also involving communities”, she said.
The Chief of Field Office added that, engaging communities and youth is one of the key strategies to keep the tree planting campaign ongoing, otherwise, with few people at the ceremony, the campaign will not survive for a long time.
“We want youth and communities to grow plants every day and that should continue for the years to come”, Dr. Rafique noted.
Also speaking, General Manager, Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA) Bauchi, Alhaji Habib Mohammed Sadique said his Agency will continue to ensure that water is made available to the rural communities.
Represented by Musa Garba Bundot, Assistant Manager, Water supply, Bauchi, the GM said RUWASSA has the mandate to ensure that every community in the state is provided with water.
“You know you cannot plant trees without water to sustain them. In terms of access to water, Bauchi is leading, and we will continue to make water available to communities”, he said.
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