Abia State Commissioner for Environment and Urban Renewal, Mr. Phillimon Ogbonna, has revealed that the state will domesticate climate change programmes during its first summit in Umuahia.
He disclosed this during an event to mark the 2023 Diocesan Tree Planting Campaign of the Catholic Diocese at Christ the King Cathedral in Aba.
Ogbonna said the summit would be the first in the state since the climate change issue gained traction in 2016.
According to him, the annual tree-planting exercise reminds humans of their connection with nature.
“Abia government is planning the first Climate Change Summit where all the partners in this area will come together to domesticate Climate Change programmes in the state,” he added.
The commissioner said that tree planting is important to humanity and the earth, adding that through sustaining the environment, human life is sustained.
He noted that trees and forests play important roles in mitigating the impact of climate change and other environmental challenges like flooding and other forces of nature.
Earlier, the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Aba, Most Rev. Augustine Echema, said the 2023 diocesan tree planting was a green revolution campaign.
He said the campaign was in line with the Regional Episcopal Conference of West Africa and the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria.
The cleric said it was to remind man of the need to care for the earth, which belongs to every other creature for a peaceful co-existence.
Most Rev. Echema noted that the campaign has the mandate to plant about 1,000 economic trees.
He said it was regrettable that certain human activities had negatively impacted the ozone layer with danger looming.
The bishop, therefore, urged all Nigerians to consciously work towards protecting the earth.
He also appreciated the attention the present administration is giving to protecting the environment.
(NAN)
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