The commissioner for environment and Climate Change in Taraba State, Hon. Aisha Barde, has embarked on massive reforestation of rural communities in conjunction with Agro-Climate Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReDAL)
ACReSAL is a World Bank-assisted project addressing northern Nigeria’s multidimensional land degradation and climate change challenges.
While addressing journalists in Jalingo, the state capital, Barde said the ministry, with the assistance of ACReSAL, has planted three million trees across the state’s rural communities, an effort she said is aimed at mitigating climate change.
She said replacing fallen trees will be a continuous project championed by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change.
“The Ministry of Environment is only championing the reforestation project; it is a project for all citizens of the state; we must imbibe the habits of tree planting to save our land from environmental degradation, though as a ministry, we have to lead the campaign to create awareness for the people to key in.
“We have already initiated three million high-breed trees across the ruler communities in the state. We are also calling on the state’s people to see the need to plant at least two trees in one month. With such efforts, our state will remain green, and we can curb the effects of climate change.
Barde also thanked Governor Agbu Kefas for his support of the ministry and called on those saddled with responsibilities to handle World Bank projects in the state, especially from the ministry, to be truthful, just, and transparent in their duties.