Date: 2020-07-08

In a fresh effort to mitigate the effects of climate change, the Federal Ministry of Environment plans to assist the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) with over five million seedlings of various species for planting.

The Minister of Environment, Dr. Muhammad Mahmood Abubakar, stated this when he received a delegation of NDA's top management team led by its Commandant, Major General Jamilu Shirham in his office in Abuja. He directed the Department of Forestry to commence the release of the seedlings.

Similarly, Dr. Abubakar also assured NDA management that the Ministry is willing and ready to partner them in the area of effective waste management, adding that the climate change issues are still far worse than the pandemic.

He said the Ministry has taken proactive measures in waste management and particularly, recycling. "With the concept of circular economy, we have adopted reduce, recycling and reuse, and moved further into repair and recover. So, the economy has changed to usage and disposal as it is detrimental to climate action," the minister said

Earlier, Major General Shirham, said they came to thank the Minister and his team for kind gesture in disinfecting and decontaminating the NDA campus. He expressed the academy'sdesire to totally green its campus, stressing that the school management has mandated every cadet to plant at least 100 trees.

He called on the Minister to assist them with five million seedlings so that they can realise their laudable goal. Meanwhile, Kwara State Government has endorsed tree planting initiative to protect and sustain the environment as well as boost the economy.

The Deputy Governor of Kwara State, Mr. Kayode Alabi, who commenced a tree-planting ceremony at the Buddies Therapeutic Garden, General Hospital, Ilorin said the government would commence prompt prosecution of persons encroaching bushes in the state.

Alabi advised residents to be environment and health-conscious while emphasising the importance of tree planting towards making the communities green and clean.

Earlier, the State's Commissioner of Environment, Muhammad Saifudeen, an architect, said the state government through the Ministry of Environment would embrace environmental-friendly ideas capable of improving the environment.

Saifuddin added that the ministry had read the riot act to perpetrators of tree felling for charcoal production, dumping of refuse in gutters and rivers as well as littering of the environment.

He urged members of the public to jealously protect the environment as the government will clamp down on violators. Acting Chief Medical Director, General Hospital, Ilorin, Dr Bola Abdulkadir appreciated the innovation of Bundies Care. He said the Therapeutic Garden would not only help the patients and their relatives recuperate, but it will also help the staff relax.

The Founder, Bundies Care Support Initiative, Mrs Adefila Funmi Osiegbu said most of the human activities have been anti-nature, therefore preventing humans from enjoying the benefits that come with communing with nature hence the birth of the Bundies Therapeutic Garden.Mrs Osiegbu said her initiative is taking responsibility by planting 5000 trees yearly and encouraging others to adopt the same in other to promote a green environment.

Also at the event were the representative of the Commissioner of Health, The State coordinator of Save one Million lives, Dr Umar Ibrahim; and Special Adviser to the Governor on SDG, Dr Jemila Bio.