Director-general of the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), Dr Joseph Onoja, has advised Nigerians to organise tree planting events during birthdays and anniversaries rather than throw parties.
According to him, this will go a long way to reduce the effect of climate change.
Dr Onoja, who spoke at the maiden edition of the Abuja Garden Festival where a board member of the foundation and senator representing Delta Central Senatorial District, Senator Ede Dafionone,
delivered the keynote address, said tree planting is important because people need to know that humans are part of nature.
He said, “Organise tree planting events so that we will have trees around us that will be able to play the role we are supposed to play to create more resilience, especially in the face of climate change.
“In the coastal areas, we have erosions while in the North, we have desertification coming in, so we need to have trees around us to be able to stop that.”
Senator Dafionone, in his keynote address, said the Federal Capital Territory had taken some steps to revamp green areas.
“It is the right step in the right direction, the existing trees should be protected. The initiative to plant trees in schools is a laudable initiative. The green areas must remain green areas. Resident associations, schools, faith-based organisations should be encouraged on tree planting. Everyone deserves access to clean green spaces in the FCT.
“Planting a tree is a bold step to protect our future and Abuja should lead by example. The Abuja Garden Festival which started today will grow into something massive and I want to encourage the organsers to keep it up and not relent”, the senator said.
Facilitators of the event, Mrs. Eyamba Nzekwu, a Chartered Accountant, and Mrs. Nana Gbolahan said the need to protect the environment motivated them to organise it.
Mrs Nzekwu said Abuja was still being developed as a city with a lot of construction going on and in the process, trees were being cut down without replacement.
Mrs Gbolahan said Abuja had been very hot with extreme heat affecting plants.