Nigeria@60: Lalong, NASCO push for greener Plateau, plant trees

By Kingsley Chukwuka

Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State has said apart from security, economy and education another mile stone government should strive to achieve, is to address environmental challenges, hence the State embraced the tree planting initiative of NASCO Group as recipe.

Lalong emphasised that to curtail the adverse reaction of climate change, tree planting remains a significant effort towards addressing environmental challenges.

Speaking at an event organised by NASCO to celebrate Nigeria at 60, on Thursday in Jos, Lalong said there is no amount of advocacy that will be enough to describe the kind of danger the society face due to climate change.

“One of the factor that aggravates this situation is deforestation which is rampant within our communities today.

We therefore need to take urgent steps such as the one we are doing here today to ensure that we discourage cutting down of trees.

“We must also encourage the habit of tree-planting particularly among our children.

I have directed that immediately schools resume, all students should plant a tree each”, he said.

Consequently, educating the public on the danger posed by cutting down trees, the Director, Green Renaissance Africa, Mr. Onche Ugbabe, said trees are fundamental to Nigeria’s national heritage and identity as attested to by the two green stripes on the Nigerian flag representing the country’s natural resources with an obvious allusion to trees.

Ugbabe who said without trees, Nigeria’s flag would be meaningless, attributed the alarming deforestation and loss of tress to the growing population which has quadrupled since independence.

“Birds love Plateau because of the trees sounding the State.

But if we continue to use trees for firewood, building, etc, without replacing them, even the birds will seek another place of abode”, Ugbabe explained.

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However, inculcating tree planting with the celebration of Nigeria at 60, the Executive Chairman NASCO Group, Dr. Attia Nasreddin, said he dimmed it fit to partner with Green Renaissance Africa and the Plateau State Government, to save the country from an impending great environmental degradation.

Our correspondent reports that other activities that made the day for NASCO as Nigeria celebrates its independence are sponsorship of the Nigeria at 60 NASCO Peace Polo games and Investiture of Governor Simon Lalong as Grand Patron of the Jos Polo Club.