Government to plant 25 million trees, set for Lake Chad restoration

The Federal Government is working towards ecological restoration and recharges in the Lake Chad to improve the livelihoods, address the environmental as well as to security challenges of the region.
 
In addition, it has pledged to demonstrate its commitment to emerging global solutions for addressing climate change including its fulfillment of the Nationally Determined Contribution and Paris Agreement.
 
The Minister of Environment, Dr. Mohammad Abubakar stated these when inaugurating inter-ministerial committee on planting 25 million trees in Abuja

According to him, Nigerian youth would be mobilised towards planting 25 million trees as part of the country’s mitigation effort to reduce carbon emission, and create a critical mass that would ensure its success.
 
Giving the terms of reference, he called on the committee to leverage on the nurseries within Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN) and outstations, colleges, Great Green Wall in raising the seedlings.
 
Also, the Minister of State, Sharon Ikeazor noted that tree planting exercise is critical to the survival of lives and the environment, calling on women and youths to take ownership of the programme and make it a success.
 
She added, the exercise should go from states to region levels, stressing that to actualise it, the ministry would provide the required leadership role in collaboration with state governments on land acquisition.

Responding on behalf of the committee, Director General FRIN, Prof. Adeshola Adepoju, said 25 million seedlings are enormous, noting that 20 million seeds have been collected for a start.
 
To Adepoju, to meet the targeted goal, the government should put in place policies that would prevent cutting down of trees for firewood, as well as take gas cylinder plant to the rural areas.