Environment
SOME Anambra stakeholders have called on residents to engage in tree planting to check erosion and secure a healthy environment.
Some of the stakeholders, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Awka said that indiscriminate felling of trees by individuals had done a lot of harm to the environment.
Mr. Godwin Ezeemo, the owner of Orient Farms said that indiscriminate felling of trees in the state had contributed to erosion menace being experienced in some parts of the state.
Ezeemo urged the state government to embark on a regular tree planting as part of activities to ensure a safe environment.
He said that if the government could enforce the culture of tree planting in homes, offices, and parks it would make the people know the importance of tree planting.
The industrialist canvassed for stiffer penalties on those who engaged in indiscriminate felling of trees to serve as a deterrent to others and to show the importance of a safe environment.
“Pockets of erosion ravaging different parts of the state is as a result of indiscriminate felling of trees by individuals; there is a need for more awareness to ensure attitudinal change by the people.
“For the government to achieve greater participation in tree planting, it should collaborate with Anambra State Association of Town Unions, religious bodies and other key stakeholders to ensure that the campaign was well extended to all parts of the communities in the state,” he said.
Mr Bonny Nkwoaku, the President-General of Enugwu-Ukwu in Njikoka Local Government Area said that felling of trees were usually done secretly.
He, however, appealed to the government to have a task force to monitor activities of the offenders.
Nkwoaku said that community leaders should be empowered to monitor such act within their areas of dominance and reports offenders to security operatives for stiffer penalty.
He said that state House of Assembly should also collaborate with other arms of government and agencies to sustain efforts toward protecting the environment.
“The House of Assembly should make people believe in the fight against tree felling through its legislation,” the community leader said.
Nkwoaku urged the people to complement government’s efforts in erosion control by planting more trees in their various areas.
He advised the people to desist from sand excavation in unauthorised places.
Mr Ikem Uzoezie, a former state lawmaker and environmentalist said that people should develop the good habit of keeping the environment safe and shun acts that could cause erosion.
Uzoezie urged various families in the state to form the habit of planting a tree in their compounds as part of measures to safeguard the environment and checkmate erosion.
Mrs Uju Ekwoanya, a teacher said that the call for safe environment should be a regular call.
She called women to encourage their husbands and children to engage in an act that would promote a healthy environment.
Ekwoanya said that people should see the protection of the environment as a collective responsibility to secure a better and healthy environment for the upcoming generations. (NAN)
– Jun. 8, 2020 @ 14:25 GMT |
Tags: Anambra stakeholders task citizens on tree planting
