By Ahmed Rufa’i, Dutse
As part of this year’s International Youth Day celebration, the Jigawa State Environmental Protection Agency (JISEPA) in partnership with United Nations Children’s Education Fund (UNICEF) has engaged hundreds of youths in massive tree planting in 3 Nigerian/Niger boarder local government areas of the state.
Speaking while launching the project at Sule-tankarkar town, the managing director of JISEPA Alhaji Adamu Sabo indicated that the agency with support from UNICEF has engaged hundreds of youths in Babura, Maigateri and Suletankarkar local government areas of the state in planting and maintenance of the trees.
Alhaji Sabo explained that, 3 frontline local government areas of deforestation and desertification including Sule-tankarkar, Maigatari and Babura have been selected and their youths engaged for massive tree planting in all the areas.
According to him, “The idea to engage youths for the tree planting project is in line with the Jigawa State Government 12 points agenda, mitigation of climate change, erosion, desertification control and observance of carbondioxide.
He stated further that “availability of trees would also provide more oxygen for human use”.
The managing director commended UNICEF for the support as he urged the youths to embrace tree planting habit by at least planting one tree in their life.
On his part, the Programme Specialist, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), UNICEF Field Office Kano, Dr. Uba Lawal said, the tree planting campaign is a key approach to mitigating the effects of Climate Change, especially in the semi-arid areas of northern Jigawa where deforestation has severely affected the region.
“The campaign aims to plant 1,500 trees, 900 trees have already been planted in Babura, where JISEPA and UNICEF provided different types of seedlings for both economical and non economical trees.
According to him “UNICEF is supporting Jigawa State Government by providing resources to mobilize and educate the people of Jigawa on the importance of tree planting and the role that youth will play, being the leaders of tomorrow” he said.
He urged the youths to lead in sustaining and nurturing the trees being planted as they are the foremost beneficiaries of a greener future.
“In apparent recognition of the importance of the tree planting campaign in mitigating the effects of Climate Change, the youth of Jigawa have decided to focus on tree planting to celebrate the International Youth Day” , he said.