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Sylvanus Viashima, Jalingo
The Taraba state Commissioner for Tertiary institution, Edward Baraya on Friday flagged off tree planting exercise as part of deliberate efforts by the state government to mitigate the effects of deforestation and climate change.
Baraya who made the flag off at the Taraba state Polytechnic while performing the maiden tree planting organized by the polytechnic, called on institutions in the state to intensify tree planting in other to combat climate change and dessert encroachment.
He said tree planting was not just for beautification of the environment but also highly economical as it provides both shelter and conducive environment for inhabitants of the earth.
The Commissioner while appreciating the polytechnic for the initiative pleaded that the polytechnic to partner with the other agents of government and institutions in the state so as to take the program to the local government areas.
“This exercise is nothing new to some of us. During our primary school days we used to have a program called tree planting and every year and each student will plant a tree. That is the why you find nim trees in schools. Along the line alot of things came into play and the practice is no longer obtainable.
“The question is what are we doing? We have cut these trees without any efforts to plant again. It is necessary that tree planting campaign should be intensified. I don’t want the polytechnic to restrict it to the campus but I want to see how you can assist or partner with the state government so that this can be taken to the local governments in the state because it will go a long way in rebuilding the environment. I quite support the decision of the polytechnic to commence tree planting”.
The Rector Taraba state polytechnic Ayuba Abashi in his welcome address said the initiative was part of efforts by the polytechnic to key into the rescue mission of the state governor Darius Ishaku in making sure that the the environment is not only protected but the damage already done is corrected.
The rector who said the program was the initiative of the school of science promised that the polytechnic will partner with the state government in order to have trees planted across the state
“This is an attempt to ensure that the process of cutting down trees without planting that is affecting the environment is greatly reduced. This is just the beginning, as the years go by we will be doing it consistently meaning that it is going to be done on annual basis.
“I believe that as the school sustains this, it is going to help the environment to be more beautiful also where there are trees you discover that the effects of wind storms will be reduced greatly”, Ayuba said.
