By GEORGE KUSHI

Confronted with desert encroachment Environmental Care Foundation in collaboration with the Adamawa State Ministry of environment is to plant one million trees annually in Adamawa state with a view to tackling environmental degradation.

There are also moves to enact laws against deforestation and climate change in the coming months.

This is necessitated by the harmful environmental practices, like tree felling, which is responsible for deforestation.

As the world marks 2020 global environment day, Adamawa state Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri has today called on citizens to promote tree planting within the environment.

The Governor disclosed this through his Deputy chief Crowther Seth while planting trees as part of activities marking the day.

The world environment day is celebrated on the 5th of June every year is aimed at raising global awareness on the environment.

Having considered the overstretching of the environment which affects the health being of mankind as well as the economy.

The ministry of environment and natural resources in collaboration with environmental care foundation to the campaigns on tree planting in the state.

The theme for this year’s campaign is forest and bio diversity, with the Deputy Governor of the state in the forefront as mark of commitment by Adamawa state Government to restore the lost glory of forest in the state.

The Governor through his Deputy chief Crowther Seth described the day as a special one, considering the major role forest play in the life of mankind.

He maintained that tree planting will go a long way in poverty eradication, environmental sustainability, food security medicine detergent among others.

While commending NGOS and stakeholders, the Governor called on them to join state government in tree planting campaign so as to recover the lost vegetation.

The commissioner for environment and Natural resources expressed the ministry’s commitments to make Adamawa green and green again.

The state Coordinator environmental care foundation Yohanna Moses lauded the state Government under Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri in ensuring tree planting in the state since inception in 2019, saying the state will plant one million tree each year.

Other stakeholders called for regular campaign on tree planting with the view to promote Afforestation which was since neglected due to the activities of men.

Highpoint of the event was a technical interactive session via teleconference where participants from all over the world connected through zoom network, where the Deputy Governor participated fully.

Mr Yohanna Moses of the Environmental Care foundation said although the celebration of this year’s World Environment Day is coming amidst the raging COVID19 Pandemic , it did not stop the programme although physical distancing was observed. He stated that last year alone 1.6 million trees were planted in Adamawa State.