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Members of Nigeria Aid Group of Jama’atu Nasril Islam
By Akanji Alowolodu, Bauchi
The Nigeria Aid Group of Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI.) Toro local government area chapter in Bauchi State has flagged off planting of thousands of different species of trees in the area as part of its continuation to fight against desertification.
The aim is also to beautify the environment and provide shelter for the people just as it will replace most of the trees cut down by people of the area for domestic use.
While performing the flagging off of the exercise, Bauchi State Governor, Sen Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir assured that his administration will rehabilitate the Plant Nursery unit of Toro local government.
The Governor explained that it is a move to provide to the people of the area, easy access to seedlings and to also encourage massive afforestation exercise to fight the numerous environmental challenges in the state.
Bala Mohammed Governor who was represented by the Director General of the Bauchi State Environmental Protection Agency (BASEPA) Dr Ibrahim Kabir also said that his administration, through BASEPA, will train 200 Members of the JNI on raising of seedlings to increase the group’s appetite on tree planting exercise.
He also commended the leadership of the Nigeria Aid Group of Jama’atu Nasril Islam for initiating the exercise saying that, henceforth, the group or any other organisation in Toro LGA will no longer request or source for seedlings from anywhere as soon as the rehabilitation of the local government plant nursery unit was completed.
In his own remarks, the BASEPA DG, Ibrahim Kabir said that all the environmental problems such as, water flooding, desertification, soil erosion, climate change and global warming will be solved by planting trees at strategic locations.
He then called on other groups to emulate JNI, saying that BASEPA will provide all the needed supports and in whatever capacity to achieve the target objectives of protecting the environment.
Ibrahim Kabir however lamented how some people connived in the destruction of the forests across the state in order to make charcoal or firewood.
He also used the occasion to call on people of the area to support the government in fighting the activities of loggers in the State.
The DG disclosed that only recently, the Governor signed a law on the establishment of Environmental Trust Fund that will be used in financing activities that are directly aimed at solving environmental challenges.
He then announced the donation of the sum of N100,000 to JNI to encourage them continue with the important activity in the local government area.
The Director General also called on the people of Toro local government area to support Governor Bala Mohammed’s second bid as Governor in order for him to continue provision of dividends of democracy in the state.
Other dignitaries who also spoke during the event commended the JNI for embarking on the exercise and commended Governor Bala Abdulqadir Mohammed’s concerns towards the protection of the environment and assured of the Agency’s continued support to his administration to achieve the target objectives.
The Director General was accompanied to the event by his Technical Assistant, Mahmud Bose as contained in a statement by Isyaka Laminu Badamasi, SA Media to DG BASEPA.
