A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) , Purplehands Empowerment Initiative has step its awareness campaign towards prevention of environmental degradation with the planting of 1,000 trees in Abuja, the nation’s capital city.
The founder and president of the NGO, Brenda Max-Nduaguibe who led the planting of additional 1,000 trees at a new location, Namadi Sambo way in Karmo district, at the weekend, said it was carried out in celebration of 2022 World Environmental Day.
During the exercise, she told journalists that planting of trees was a communal affairs with involvement of the residents.
She explained that trees reduce violence, which according to her, “ We are sensitising the residents on the need and benefits of tree planting.
The president said the tree planting campaign was in partnership with FCTA Department of Parks and Recreation and will be sustained.
“All the people in the estates around the area are in support of what we have been doing.
“We have been planting trees across the territory in partnership with the Department of Parks and Recreation for the last six years, it started in 2016.
“We planted the trees all over the FCT, in Bwari, Karmo, GSS Kuchingoro, GSS Durumi and GSS Karmo. This is to ensure that the trees we have planted survive.
“We are working closely with relevant stakeholders targeting the children by forming environmental clubs in schools, presently, we are in three schools.
“ This reiterates the need for eco conservation, all over there are change agents that are preaching the message to people.
“On the significance of trees, she said trees help in area of environmental degradation, erosion and serving as wind break as well as bring down the stress”
Similarly, Deputy Director in the Department of Parks and Recreation, Abuja Metropolitan magament Council (AMMC), Charles Okpe called on the residents to endeavour to at least plant a tree and resist the temptation of cutting them down.
He said: “If any person cut down a tree without permission is the duty of the department to arrest the person.
“Presently, any tree cut down without our consent the person will pay a fine of 100,000. But we want to increase the fine as is obtainable in one of the Southern states”.
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