A community-based organization, Fun And Fitness Club has collaborated with the National Orientation Agency and the Parks and Recreation Department of the Federal Capital Territory Administration to launch a tree planting awareness campaign in Abuja. Speaking during the flag-off ceremony of the tree planting awareness campaign tagged, “1000 Trees Project” held at the Brick City Estate in Abuja, Director-General of the National Orientation Agency, Dr. Garba Abari represented by the Director of Documentation at the NOA headquarters, Mr. Davidson Aminu, noted that the awareness campaign to promote tree planting is a laudable project that should be emulated by all Nigerians.
He said the project is in line with the mandate of NOA to promote a change of attitude among Nigerians, including attitude towards the environment adding that planting trees to protect the environment against degradation goes along a way to also protect the people against harmful effects of global warming among other footprints of climate change. While commending the organizers for promoting awareness about tree planting in the community, he assured of the continued support of NOA for the project and other initiatives by the group.
Also speaking, the Director of the Parks and Recreation Department in the FCTA, Arc. Ali Ukele said the department is proud to be a part of the initiative by the Fun and Fitness Club which he described as a group of innovative individuals that has placed premium on the protection of the environment from degradation by mitigating the effect of global warming, deforestation and other forms of threats to a sustainable environment. He commended the organisers of the tree planting campaign for leading the way in building a sustainable environment in the FCT and promised that the government through the Parks and Recreation Department would continue to support communities in the FCT to raise awareness on the importance of tree planting and provide technical assistance towards achieving a greener and cleaner FCT.
Earlier in his remark, the Project Coordinator of the Fun and Fitness Club, Mr. Faisal Sadiq said the project was borne out of the desire of members of the organization to promote a healthy and sustainable environment for all residents. He noted that the tree planting project is aimed at creating awareness about the need for balance in the ecosystem and to inspire residents of the community and other Nigerians to embrace the culture of tree planting, stressing that a fast growing city like Abuja requires more trees not only to replace trees that are being displaced as a result of rapid urbanization but also to check deforestation which is fast approaching from the far North of Nigeria and other consequences of global warming. He expressed appreciation to individuals and institutional partners for supporting the tree planting project and urged them to sustain the support by helping nurture the trees to full maturity in the interest of humanity. Highpoint of the ceremony was the planting of 170 trees by dignitaries, selected guests and residents of the community to flag-off the tree planting campaign in what the organizers described as the first phase of the project aimed at planting a total of 1000 trees within and around the community.
