An NGO, Chamber of Good Governance Initiative, on Wednesday called on residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to plant trees in their areas to accelerate afforestation in the territory.
Mrs Gloria Ayuba, the Project Director of the NGO, made the call during the launch of a campaign to plant 300 tree seedlings in Riwaza community in Kwali Area Council of the FCT.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that trees planted include Jatropha, oil palm and mahogany.
Ayuba noted that apart from making the environment friendly, trees contribute to economic development.
She added that trees alleviate poverty and ensure food security, adding that it was in line with some of the targets of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“The people engaged in deforestation are not actually planting back, especially wood exporters, loggers and charcoal dealers.
“The rate of deforestation is faster than the rate of planting and that is not healthy for the environment.
“We have been sensitising communities to the dangers associated with tree felling as well as the benefits of tree planting.
“I urge area council chairmen to constitute task forces to monitor tree felling, wood processing and marketing in their areas,’’ she said.
Ayuba said that with the strategic location and land mass of the Kwali area council, it would serve as frontrunner in agricultural research.
She hinted that the NGO would collaborate with the Nigerian Institute for Oil Palm Research (NIFOR), to embark on massive planting of palm seedlings in all the six area councils.