African’s foremost environmental newspaper, NatureNews, is set to revolutionise the afforestation campaign in Nigeria as it unveiled an initiative to plant 5 billion trees by the year 2030.
Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of NatureNews, Aliu Akoshile, stated this Tuesday at the newspaper’s third anniversary lecture held at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja.
The lecture, titled climate change and energy transition in Nigeria, was delivered by the Director General of Nigeria Country Office, African Development Bank Group, Mr. Lamin Barrow.
Also present at the event were the former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Obong Victor Attah, former Managing Director of the defunct National Electricity Power Authority (NEPA) and Barden Dutse, Engr. Hamza Ibrahim, who represented the Emir of Dutse, His Royal Highness Alhaji Muhammad Hamim Nuhu Sanusi.
The event was also graced by the Chairman of The Senate Committee on Environment, Dr. Yunus Akintunde; and the representatives of the Minister of Environment, and Minister of State for Environment, Dr. Iniobong Abiola-Awe and Mrs. Omotunde Adeola who are both Directors in the Ministry.
Mr. Akoshile said the ambitious afforestation initiative, branded as “NaijaGreenProject 2030,” is a product of nearly two years of consultation with relevant stakeholders and rigorous brainstorming by the NatureNews editorial team.
He said key stakeholders in Nigeria’s environmental space were convinced that such a massive tree-planting campaign would bring tremendous benefits to the country and its people.