By BOLUWAJI OBAHOPO, LOKOJA
The Kogi State government has commenced the planting of 400,000 trees to combat climate change and mitigate the effects of environmental disaster in the state caused by deforestation.

Yahaya-Bello

The state Commissioner for Environment, Dr. (Mrs) Rosemary Osikoya who revealed this during the flag-off of the ‘Let’s Green Kogi’ said 20,000 trees will be planted in each of the 21 local government area of the state.

Osikoya said the gesture is in fulfillment with the United Nation environmental renewal programme aimed at fighting environmental disaster which the state has keyed into.

She said the Tree planting scheme will not only serve to reclaim the lost ground through afforestation and forest regeneration, but have been designated for places that will as well served as recreational centres.

She also urged individuals and corporate organisation to join the tree planting campaign so that together the state could be saved from erosion and other environmental degredation.

“Kogi is going green, introducing urban afforestation, which is a classical departure from what we know. The time has come for Kogi to understand that climate change is also business. We must come together to managing and taking full values for the trees.

“It is our duty to advocate for extreme decarbonisation of Kogi state. There is the dire need to have a balance between utilisation and regeneration.”

She said the administration of Governor Yahaya Bello will through the ‘Let’s Green Kogi’, create a foray of greenery that has a camouflage of beauty and elegance, “As we embark on this project, we encouraged individual to plant trees so that as we drive through a canopy of trees, it will be like paradise.”