From Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
Civil Society Organizations in Benue State have planted over 100 trees at the Benue State University (BSU) to commemorate this year’s International Youth Day (IYD).
The weeklong activity with the theme, ‘Transforming food systems; Youth innovation for human and planetary health,’
was declared open by the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Tor Iorapuu.
Prof. Iorapuu who is also the Chairman Board of Trustees of CSO-B did the ceremonial planting when he planted one of the trees in the new Sports Complex of the University.
The Vice Chancellor commended the CSO-B for choosing the institution for such a sensitive and important occasion explaining that the action and decision of planting those variety of economic trees in the institution showed the Organization’s commitment to its core mandate of Humanitarian Response.
In her presentation, spokesperson of the CSO-B for the activity, Mrs. Victoria Esa who is the Executive Director, Environment & Climate Change Amelioration Initiative (ECCAI) donated 102 tress to CSO-B.
Esa noted that her donation was born out of her belief in the positive vision of the Organization adding that it was good to support the Coalition in celebrating the Youths who are 90% work force of the Organization and the University Population.
She said the choice of the varieties of all the economic trees was aimed at the theme of this year’s celebration which bothered on food system and pledge on behalf of CSO-B that has capacity in environmental and climate thematic area, to partner with the school in her proposed land scoping project.
On her part, Coordinator of CSO-B, Dr. Helen Teghtegh explained that the tree planting was a deliberate action of contribution to improve the climatic and vegetation of the school and also preserve some of the food trees that are almost going into extinction.
She listed the trees to be planted to include locust beans, Ogbono and Oil Palm stressing that the institution as a growing community of human population needs the trees for shades and oxygen as well as prevent erosion and other environmental hazards.