27/06/2025
ECCAI, CJC PLANT 100 TREES TO MARK WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY 2025…DONATE TREE SEEDLINGS TO BENUE STATE GOVERNMENT.
The Environment and Climate Change Amelioration Initiative (ECCAI) in partnership with Climate Justice Club (CJC) supported by Education as a Vaccine (EVA) on Tuesday planted 100 trees at the Makurdi Central Nursery in Benue State in line with ECCAI’s commitment to afforestation, mitigating the impact of climate change and promoting biodiversity conservation in Benue State and beyond.
Speaking on the topic, “Economic and Environmental Importance of Tree Planting”, the Executive Director of ECCAI, Mrs. Victoria Esa said trees serve as sources of oxygen, food, medicine, organic manure and help beautify the environment.
Mrs. Esa who noted that trees provide employment for people in the forestry sector, provide timbre for buildings and other structures needed for development, encouraged people to plant two or more tree for every one tree felled and announced the donation of tree seedlings to the Benue State Government through its Ministry of Water Resources, Environment and Climate Change to aid the afforestation campaign.
The Executive Director who pointed out that although World Environment Day was usually commemorated on June 5 every year, ECCAI and partners marked theirs this week and explained that the idea of setting up Climate Justice Club in secondary schools was to build an army of climate-conscious youngsters who would champion the cause of climate change in the present and take the advocacy into the future for the coming generation.
She encouraged members of the club to take full advantage of the opportunity and remain committed to the cause.
Also speaking the Director of Forestry at the Benue State Ministry of Water Resources, Environment and Climate Change, Comrade Enewa Alison Onjeh who commended ECCAI and CJC for the tree planting initiative, urged everyone to join the campaign by planting two or more trees for any tree felled as afforestation is a key step to check global warming.
On her part, the Benue State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Mrs. Anna Itodo represented by the Director of Women, Mrs. Magdalene Andor thanked ECCAI for helping to mitigate the effect of climate change which devastating effects tell more on women and encouraged the students who members of the CJC to serve as ambassadors of the tree planting campaign by spreading the message to their families and peers.
Speaking on behalf of their various schools, the Climate Justice Club master of Unique Secondary School, Makurdi, Mr. Philip Hon, that of Government Girls College, Mr. James Kertyo and Government Model Secondary School Makurdi, Mr. Cosmos Nyagba commended ECCAI and pledged their commitment to the drive for green environment by the organisation and its partners.
Members of the Climate Justice Club who gleefully participated in the tree planting exercise, said they would continue to contribute their quota to a greener, cleaner, healthier and more beautiful environment by planting as many trees as possible to maximize the benefits that come with tree planting.
Also known as Eco Day, the theme for this year’s World Environment Day is “Beat Plastic Pollution”, a clarion call for all to help curb the growing menace of plastic pollution by reducing, re-using, recycling and re-purposing plastic items in our homes, work places, worship centres and everywhere in the society.
Education as a Vaccine (EVA)
Environment and Climate Change Amelioration Initiative - ECCAI
UN Women UN Women Nigeria
International Alert
Gender & Environmental Risk Reduction Initiative - GERI
Women Environmental Programme
Okaha Women and Children Development Organisation - Owacdo
Global Initiative for Food Security and Ecosystem Preservation
