The National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) has taken a campaign of planting one million trees to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The commission kick-started the campaign tagged, “Project One Million Books, One Million Children, One Million Trees for Climate Action”, in collaboration with an NGO, ‘I am the Future Of Nigeria Youth Initiative” at an IDPs camp in Durumi in Abuja.
According to the organisers, the initiative was to educate IDP children on the benefits of tree planting in combating climate change.
The Federal Commissioner, NCFRMI, Alhaji Tijani Ahmed, said Nigeria would be a very green nation in the next three years if everyone would be committed to planting a tree every year.
Represented by his Special Assistant, Mohammed Albashir, the Federal Commissioner said it would go a long way in protecting the environment if everyone could commit to planting a tree.
He highlighted the importance of planting trees to the children, saying that it would be impactful in the community and the society at large.
He said: “We all know how the importance of impacting our environment positively is to all persons, our homes, schools and markets, among others.
“That is why we must protect it by ensuring that everyone is involved in this three planting drive to protect our environment.”
He noted that the children were not just beneficiaries of climate change knowledge, but are partners in the fight, as their creativity and passion are invaluable assets in safeguarding their planet.
Also, Mrs Noni Okocha, Chief Executive of “I am the Future Of Nigeria Youth Initiative”, said the project was targeted at children of the IDPs to create the consciouness of protecting thier environment in them very early in life.
Okocha said the project was designed to arm the children with the understanding of the global climate crisis and the power to make a difference.
“Project one million books – children – trees for climate action” is a pilot initiative and it aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ to promote echo – conscious initiative.
“The project is geared towards protecting the environment and securing a sustainable future, a commitment geared towards preserving our planet.
“We have a responsibility to equip ourselves with requisite knowledge and tools necessary to combat this global crisis,” she said.
Okocha said that through the Initiative, knowledge and inspiration would be delivered to a million young minds, and instil an understanding of climate change from an early stage.
She said that the seed of responsibility, empathy and action would also be planted in the children’s minds.
In her remark, the Press Secretary, Indian High Commission, Mr Primod Kurmar-Agrawal, said inculcating the attitude of tree planting into the children would secure a healthier planet for the future generations.
Kurmar-Agrawal said that planting of trees was essential to protect and preserve the environment, and involving the children would make them aware of issues relating to climate change.
“And as the children are the future, to protect and preserve the environment is most important in their lives,” she said.
Kurmar-Agrawal further urged the organisers of the initiative to do more of such a project, while pledging the commission’s support towards such a goal.
