By; JACOB ONJEWU DOCKSON
As part of its efforts to fight deforestation and climate change, the Catholic Archdiocese of Kaduna has concluded plans to plant 20,000 trees by 2027.
The Catholic Archbishop of Kaduna, Most Rev Matthew Man-Oso Ndagoso during the tree planting campaign flag off on Sunday in Kaduna which was organized by Justice Development and Peace Caritas (JDPC), Commission for Environment and Archdiocesan Pastoral Executive Council (APEC) said, “we have caused damages to the mother earth, the damages which we have caused, at least something can be done about it by planting trees.
“We are trying to see how to start healing the injuries we have caused the mother Earth, what can we do to renew the face of the earth? So, we are encouraging Nigerians to start planting trees especially during this raining season”.
He also encourage children to join in planting trees, noting that children still have a long way to go, “children are success of tree planting, the future belongs to them, he said.
Archbishop Ndagoso who is also the vice president, Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) reiterated that Nigerians should develop the habit of planting especially economic trees, adding that they are sources of income.
The Coordinator, JDPC, Kaduna Archdiocese, Rev Fr Joshua Achir said that the church wants to plant 20,000 trees within the next five years, starting this year.
“We want to plant 20,000 trees in five years, 4,000 for each year, we just started the campaign with 2,500 trees, it is hoped that next Friday, it would be stepped down to the communities”. He explained.
On her part, the Chairman, Care of Environment Commission, Archdiocese of Kaduna, Catherine Ishu said, “we are sensitising Nigerians on the importance of planting trees, we are also forming children groups that will water this trees that have been planted”.
