By Thompson Yamput
Kogi Government has tasked serving corps members in the State to ensure they plant a tree each, for a safer environment.
Gov. Usman Ododo gave the task on Friday, during a tree planting campaign organised by the State Coordinator, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Mr Femi Osungbohu, at the State Secretariat, Lokoja.
Ododo, who was represented by Mr Monday Anyebe, Commissioner for Youth and Sports, said healthy and safe environment brings about desired growth and development of a nation.
The governor said that with challenges of flood and drought in Kogi of recent, there was every need for residents to embark on tree planting to help keep the environment safe and preserved.
“This is the more reason why this administration is urging the youths (corps’members) serving in this state to try and ensure that each one of them plants a tree in the state.
“When you plant a tree as a corps member, it will serve as a legacy for you, and any day or time you return to Kogi, you will be proud the tree is standing and giving shade to the community.
“I wish to commend the NYSC for this wonderful initiative, which is in line with the tree campaign our administration launched recently toward preserving our environment, ” he said.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr Timothy Ojomah, described the NYSC tree planting programme as “apt and the right step ” in tandem with government policies and programmes.
Ojomah said that the tree planting embarked upon by the service would go a long way in addressing the drought and flooding experienced in the state this year.
Earlier in his welcome address, the NYSC state coordinator, Mr Femi Osungbohu, disclosed that the service hoped to plant 1,000 trees in 2024 in Kogi.
Osungbohu said that various schools and communities across the state were targeted for the tree planting as part of efforts to preserve the environment.
“The essence of this gathering today can’t be over emphasised, given the condition of climate change, which is affecting everyone of us in the country.
“Therefore, we must continue to encourage afforestation in the state considering the economic benefits and the effect on daily livelihood.
“I wish to encourage residents of Kogi to emulate what the youth corps members are doing today and go ahead to individually plant a tree in the state.
“This, I believe, will help us have healthy and safe environment, where we can all live and survive as humans and contribute to the development of the state,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event climaxed with the planting of different trees by the commissioners for Youth and Sports, Agriculture and Environment and the Kogi NYSC coordinator. (NAN)
