The Kano State Government on Thursday, flagged off the planting of 1 Million as part of initiative towards preserving its ecosystem and to address the menace of climate change.
The State Commissioner of Environment, Dr. Kabiru Ibrahim Getso said the move is in line with the 2021 tree planting campaign with the theme: mitigating climate change effects and achieving beautification in Kano State aimed at checkmating the menace of indiscriminate felling of trees, climate change, soil erosion and land degradation and decrease desertification.
According to him, it would be recalled that the State in 2020 experienced experienced extreme heat with maximum temperature of about 44degrees Celsius which expert describe as signs of global warming and climate change and was attributed to inadequate trees thereby having adverse effects on the environment.
To address this challenge and many others, Getso stated that the State in collaboration with Givfree Africa have concluded arrangements for planting 1million seedlings across the 44 LGAs of the State during a two weeks Campaign which will run in two faces.
Notable places to cover include; the State road, schools, hospitals, mosques and churches among other strategic places while zaria roads, B.U.K Newsite to Kabuga road and Gama community would all be covered in the first phase.
However, it is expected that his Excellency, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje will preside over the second phase where at least 1200 seedlings will be planted at the Yusuf Maitama Suke University main Campus.
Dr. Ibrahim listed benefits of planting trees to include; supply of oxygen, improve air quality, providing natural air conditioning, control climate change and reduces climate change by absorbing CO2 from the air among others.
He said other intervention programs include; setting up of Kano State Afforestation Agency, we have keyed into the National Great Green Wall Project and presently, actively participating in the Nigera Erosion and Watershed Management Project and most recently the State entered into a 20 years public-private partnership with a private company (CapeGate) in order to ensure efficient Municipal Solid Waste Management among many other intervention programs to address the problems.
Other measures include conduct of pests and vector control exercises, environmental education and awareness programsand promotion of use of clean energy to mitigate air pollution through distribution of natural gas cooking facilities and clean cook stoves free-of- charge to women.