By Marie-Therese Nanlong

Again, a passionate appeal has been made for Nigerians especially citizens of Plateau State to engage in aggressive tree planting to replenish the environment which has been highly degraded, and its negative impacts felt on human existence.

The Director, Green Renaissance Africa, Onche Ugbabe made the call in Jos, while marking the 60th anniversary of Nigeria and stressed that green plants have huge importance on humanity as they provide fresh air and help in curbing environmental pollution.

Green Renaissance Africa, working in collaboration with the Plateau State government and NASCO group to plant 250,000 trees across the 17 local government areas of the State continued with the exercise at the Polo field in Jos where the State Governor, Simon Lalong was declared the Grand Patron of the Jos Polo club.

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Speaking at the event, Governor Lalong reiterated the importance of trees in controlling erosion, pledged his commitment to tree planting as well as to redeemed the lost glory of Polo game which has been attracting polo players and great personalities to the city in the past.

He expressed his readiness to support the forthcoming National Polo tournament to be hosted in the State in November this year.

In his words, “Before now, if you want to see great Polo players and big personalities, come to the Jos Polo Club. And in our efforts to redeem the lost glory of this game and the positive image it has on Plateau State, when we came on board I received complaints that a plan has been concluded for some people to come and take over the Jos Polo field and I requested for the file and canceled such deals.

“We will make the Polo game great again, I have accepted my investiture as your grand patron with all of my heart. So, for us as a government, we are conscious of the fact that huge resources were put into the Polo field to look green like this. I have directed for a permanent site for the Jos Trade fair and we are going to move the trade fair to the permanent site.”

The Governor commended Nasco Group of companies for continued sponsorship of the polo game and performed the symbolic planting of trees to promote the campaign for afforestation.

vanguardngr.com