Afforestation: Jang directs local governments to establish tree nurseries

Jang, who gave the directive at the 2014 flag-off of tree planting campaign in Shendam Local Government Area, said that the nurseries should be established before the next planting season.
The governor who was represented by the Speaker of Plateau State House of Assembly, Mr Titus Alams, said it was imperative to raise the nurseries and plant trees in order to replace the ones destroyed through natural disasters and human activities.
He said that the climatic changes resulting into desert encroachment, the massive floods being experienced in the country, particularly the 2012 flood which severely affected the environment were partly caused by deforestation, adding: “We can recall the massive devastation visited on many parts of the country from which many people and communities have not recovered. Plateau had its own fair share of the disaster with the northern, central and southern zones incurring huge losses.
“It is ironic that natural calamities are largely occasioned by our activities and it is indeed estimated that 60 percent of the disasters are caused by the nature of our relationship with the environment.
Among occurrences resulting from manmade activities are flood, soil erosion, loss of soil fertility, biodiversity loss and ground soil depletion and, of recent, climate change.’’
Jang said that desertification has led to south-west movement of pastoralists, putting pressure on Plateau vegetation and contributed to farmers/pastoralists clashes.
He said that if much commitment is shown in the tree planting campaign, it would restore the beauty of Plateau which will be for the good of the present generation and generations to come.
On his own, Alams said that in his capacity as Speaker, Plateau State House of Assembly would make laws that will protect the environment.
“The Assembly would ensure an accelerated passage of any bill that will help in the protection of the Plateau environment,” the speaker said.
In his remark, Plateau State Commissioner for Environment, Mr Sylvanus Dantoe, said human activities had taken over the natural endowment and threatened the environment.
The commissioner advised the communities to desist from activities that could lead to deforestation and imbibe the culture of tree planting, adding: “We should imbibe the culture of cutting one plant where necessary and planting three trees in place of the cut tree.
On his part, Chairman of Shendam LGA, Dr Kemi Nshe, said that the local government would nurture the trees that were planted.
He said: “As a council, we have procured well over 50,000 of different species of tree seedlings to be given to the inhabitants of Shendam from the metropolis to the villages. The people of Shendam depend on subsistence farming and we feel as a government to encourage them and we have procured seedlings of palm trees of well over 100,000 seeds, 20,000 mangoes, 20, 000 oranges and other assorted seedlings to be given to our people. The gesture is to empower our people because if you plant an economic tree you will continue to enjoy it for 25 years.’’