By Maduka Nweke
The Kaduna State government says it intends planting over 15,000 tree seedlings in three Local Government Areas as part of efforts to reclaim degraded land in the state.
The project is to be executed by the state’s World Bank- assisted Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP) under the Ministry of Environment.
Mr Jibrin Dahiru, the state Project Coordinator, NEWMAP, represented by Mr Victor Yakubu, an official, made this known on Thursday at a sensitisation campaign on land degradation and plantation in Agban village of Kaura Local Government Area.
Dahiru said the 15,000 tree seedlings to be planted, would cover five hectares of land each in Giwa, Makarfi and Kaura Local Government Areas.
According to him, it has become necessary to plant the trees in order to mitigate the negative effects of climate change.
“Many people are yet to believe that there is anything like climate change in existence, but climate change is real.
“We need to sensitise people on some of the measures we are taking to remediate the impact of climate change.
“One of such measures is aforestation, which involves tree planting, and there is no time better than now for us to do it,” he said.
He cautioned the people against bush burning, overgrazing and excessive application of fertiliser on farm lands.
Speaking on solid waste management, Lawal Jibrin, the General Manager of Kaduna State Environmental Protection Agency (KEPA), tasked the people on the need to always keep their surroundings clean.
“The issue of solid waste is becoming a serious menace to all of us because of diseases like cholera outbreak; this is why we must strive to keep our environments clean to prevent such outbreak.
“We have created collection points across the state for people to bring their waste for proper management,” he said.
The KEPA boss said that the state had enabling laws on waste management and would not hesitate to prosecute offenders.
In his remarks, the District Head of Kukum, Joshua Kogya, represented by Sunday Asho, commended the state government for the initiative, and called for the involvement of the local community in the exercise.