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| Image: Mrs. Jarom Blessing helping the Permanent Secretary, Jigawa State Ministry of Environment, Mr. Abdullahi Namadi while planting some trees at Wamban Dutse Road, in Dutse. |
By Muhammad Salisu
The Jigawa State Government has embarked on an ambitious project to plant five million trees across the state to combat desertification and protect the environment.
It's worthy to note that desertification has been identified as a major threat to Jigawa State, with official sources warning of the rapid speed at which the menace is advancing.
According to reports, the state's fragile ecosystem and geographical location make it highly susceptible to desertification, posing a significant risk to the livelihoods of its residents and the state's overall development.
Speaking while flagging off the tree planting campaign organised by by the Partnership for Development Action (PADAC), powered by ACReSAL in Dutse, the state capital, on Tuesday, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Mr. Abdullahi Namadi, stated that already, the state government has nursed five million tree seedlings for planting across the 27 local government areas of the state.
Abdullahi Namadi stated, "The present administration of Governor Umar Namadi is committed to making the state green, recognizing the urgent need to address the threat of desertification, which is exacerbated by climate change, deforestation, and unsustainable land use practices."
He explained that the seedlings have been allocated to the 27 local governments areas, Community-Based Organizations, Civil Society Groups, MDAs and all other organisations in the state that were encouraged to participate in tree planting and maintenance of the trees to safeguard the environment.
The Permanent Secretary praised the efforts of Partnership for Development Action, describing it as a good and welcome development.
He emphasized the importance of collaboration in achieving environmental protection goals adding that "the state government's initiative to nurse five million tree seedlings demonstrates its commitment to making the state green."
According to him, "the tree planting campaign organized by the Partnership for Development Action (PADAC), which is powered by ACReSAL is highly recommendable considering the desperate need for stakeholders collaboration towards protecting our environment from the threat of desert encroachment across the state.
He therefore noted that "the success of this initiative will depend on the active participation of all stakeholders, including government agencies, community-based organizations, and individuals."
Commenting during the event, a traditional title holder, 'Wamban Dutse', Mustapha Aminu, assured on behalf of the beneficiaries community that mechanisms are already in place to ensure the sustainability of the planted trees in the area.
"The mechanism has been put in place to ensure that the trees planted are sustained," he said, urging parents to caution their children against damaging the trees.
However, Wamban Dutse revealed that "the trees planted are expected to have a positive impact on the environment and the lives of the residents in Jigawa State and beyond. It will help to combat desertification, promote sustainable development, and enhance the state's ecosystem."
Earlier in her remarks, the Program Officer of PADAC, Mrs. Jarom Blessing, highlighted the organization's 12-year history of working on climate change, education, and gender policies. She noted that last year, the organisation planted trees close to 100,000 many places such as the Army Barracks, schools, and local government areas in the state.
According to Mrs. Blessing, this year again, PADAC aims to plant another 100,000 tree seedlings across different locations in the state. "This is in line with our organisation's renowned commitment towards promoting environmental protection and sustainable development," she added.
As the tree planting campaign takes off in Jigawa State, the NEWSKEEPER reports stakeholders advising that it is essential for all partners concerned to work together to ensure good nurturing and maintenance of the planted trees in order to achieve the desired objective of preventing the state from the effects of climate change and desertification.
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