The Chairman, Senate Committee on Employment, Labour, and Productivity, and also the Vice Chairman, Federal Character Commission, Senator Diket Plang, distributed 8,000 assorted tree saplings to his constituents to encourage tree planting and warned against indiscriminate felling of trees.
Senator Plang, who represents Plateau Central Senatorial District of Plateau State, told newsmen at the venue of the distribution in the Pankshin local government area of the state that the loss of trees and other vegetation can cause climate change, desertification, soil erosion, fewer crops, flooding, increased greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, and a host of other problems.
The senator mentioned that Nigerians are more interested in cutting down trees without replacement, adding that this has a wide range of consequences for the environment in the long run.
According to him, the focus of the distributions at the moment were secondary schools, tertiary institutions, traditional institutions, and religious bodies, adding that these groups need trees within their surroundings for so many reasons, especially windbreakers.
He urged the heads of institutions and religious bodies, especially Christians and Muslims, to educate their members on the importance of tree planting and the benefits of other economic trees within their environments.
“I have over 8,000 different varieties of nursing trees; out of this, if 2000 survive, I will be pleased. I also want to encourage our secondary schools to form botanical garden clubs to encourage tree planting. If the Ministry of Education can make it one of the conditions to establish schools, it will go a long way toward protecting the schools. At least a minimum of ten trees per school, and it can be more than that.”
Senator Plang highlighted that his rural and science backgrounds propel and stimulate him towards environmental conservation, adding that he has consistently been advocating for tree planting right from the time he was a teacher and councillor.
“There are two propelling backgrounds that stimulate me towards environmental conservation. I come from a village, have lived a village life, and secondly, I am a scientist, and I know the natural importance of trees, especially in the purification of air. We take in oxygen and we bring out carbon dioxide.
“Human activities, especially with hydrocarbons, end up with a lot of cabonmonoxide around. There is a need to purify what we take in because of the combustion of the hydrocarbon. God, in his own way, has a way of filtering the air.
“Trees are fruits; they are shelter; they are medicinal. If we conserve the environment, it will boost research, and I want to suggest a forest guard to prevent the indiscriminate fall of trees.
If we don’t conserve our environment, there is a likelihood that some trees might go extinct.
“Religious bodies such as Christianity and Islam should educate their followers on the importance of tree planting. Unfortunately, we believe in cutting; we don’t believe in replacement. The more trees, the more sanitised our environment is. The more the air is sanitised, the more it is healthy for the living.”
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