Sterling Bank supports govt’s environment project

Sterling Bank has concluded plans to carry out tree planting exercises in three states in Northern Nigeria, as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility and support of the Federal Government’s plan to sustain the environment.

This initiative became imperative as Nigeria is faced with rapid desert encroachment affecting major northern states and the move serves as one of the solutions to cushion the effects.

This is also in line with the United Nation’s Sustainable Developmental Goals, which environmental preservation is one, and a way of challenging private institutions to support.

According to a statement from Sterling Bank, the Governors of the three pilot states-Plateau, Bauchi and Gombe have confirmed participation at the events slated for August 23 and 24, 2016, in Jos and Bauchi respectively.

The bank’s Group Head, Strategy and Communications, Shina Atilola, emphasised the need for the private sector to support the government at all levels to checkmate the rising challenges posed by desertification in the country.

According to him, statistics have shown that a quarter of the earth’s surface is threatened by desertification and out of the 909,890 km2 of the country’s land area, about 580,841 km2 accounting for 63.83%  is impinged on by desertification.

He added that extensive cultivation, deforestation, overgrazing, cultivation of marginal land and bush burning were the major causes of desertification.

“Desertification has done a lot of damage to the local communities as it has made farming impossible in the affected areas leading to food shortage and rising cost of food items. Without food and water, it becomes harder for people to thrive,” he said.