With the world increasingly facing multifaceted challenges in the areas of health, social vices and environment, higher institutions, especially universities are expected to lead the way in finding solutions to these challenges.
Bayero University Kano (BUK) recently launched a ‘one man one tree project’ as part of its contribution to reduction in air pollution which aggravates global warming.
The project was launched during the institution’s celebration to mark the 2019 World Environment Day, and it was in line with the theme of the year, “Beat Air Pollution” according to Professor Ibrahim Baba Yakubu of the Department of Environmental Management, BUK.
“We are looking at the local activities that could be done with a view to contributing to this mega theme of the session, which is ‘Beat Air Pollution.’ So, we decided to embark on this project of tree planting with the view to stemming the menace of air pollution,” he said
On his part, the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academics, Professor Adamu Isah Tanko, said “Whatever we do locally has some significance in addressing or worsening the environmental issues. That is the message we are trying to send to people to see that each and every one of us has some contribution to make to maintain good workings of the environment.”
Over 3,000 tree seedlings have been acquired for distribution to members of staff and students as well as the members of the public who will take part in planting them in any part of the state.
The university has therefore played its part in theory by organising the lectures to sensitize the public on the importance of tree planting to the environment and in practice by obtaining the seedlings and distributing them for planting.
On the part of government, the Deputy Director, Ecology and Forestation Department, Kano State Ministry of Environment, Alhaji Tijjani Malanta, said government, in its effort to curb the menace of desert encroachment and other issues of environmental pollution, has approved the nursing of two million tree seedlings for onward distribution to different sectors.
“Some of the seedlings will be used for shelter belts, woodlot plantations and water catchments at different locations in the state. Others are given to some institutions like primary and secondary schools. Also, people could collect them for planting in their farms and residential houses,” he said
He added that last year, the Nigerian Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP) in collaboration with the state, planted trees in 300 hectares of degraded lands, ranging from shelter belts, woodlot plantations and water catchments in the northern part of the state which comprised of Danbatta, Makoda, Gabasawa and Ajingi local government areas.
Malanta further disclosed that a non-governmental organisation was discussing with the ministry on employing new technology through the use of drones for massive tree planting in the state.
On its part, the Federal Ministry of Environment under its national clean cook stoves initiative has allocated some clean cook stoves and gas cylinders to the state government for onward distribution to end-users with the view to reducing the effect of deforestation which results in food insecurity and poor health condition among the citizenry.
Malam Malanta then urged the general public to understand the negative effect of poor air quality and deforestation which caused desert encroachment, flooding, reduction in water table as well as migration and insecurity, calling on them to play active role in the planting of trees to mitigate the effects.
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