Group urges government to prioritise mass tree planting

By Abubakar Yunusa

The leadership of the foremost Pan African Students Movement, The Progressive Students Movement (PSM) Nigeria chapter, has urged the government at all levels to embark on mass tree planting to address the continuous damage caused by wind and rain storms.
PSM President, Comr. Amb. Bestman Okereafor, spoke in a statement shared with journalists in Abuja on Friday.
According to the statement, PSM frowns upon the continuous and indiscriminate felling of trees for economic gains.
He emphasized that at least two trees should be planted immediately in place of every one cut down, as trees serve as windbreakers against dangerous windstorms.
According to him: “We strongly believe that massive tree planting nationwide, aside from beautifying the environment, has the potential to serve as a panacea to climate change, such as global warming and other ecological challenges.
“Teak, palm trees, and other large trees can help drastically reduce the harmful effects of windstorms.
“We implore the Minister of State for Environment, Dr. Iziaq Salako, who not too long ago disclosed the Federal Government’s plans to plant six million trees nationwide to mitigate the negative effects of climate change.
“ We call for a speedy official launch of the project by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for immediate implementation without further delay.
“Finally,PSM is calling on other states to emulate Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State, who in April 2024 flagged off the planting of the first of three million trees by the Government of Kano across the 44 local government areas of the state.”