A Non-governmental Organisation (NGO) under the aegis, HEDA Resource Centre has lauded Lambaga Community of Lafia Local Government Area (LGA) for massive tree planting to preserve the environment.
Mr Suleiman Arigbabo, Executive Secretary of the group gave the commendation during their community outreach program to amplify the voices of climate frontier communities on Thursday in Lambaga Community of Lafia.
According to the Executive Secretary the outreach was part of the activities lined up for the implementation of a program they are working on, The African Activities for Climate Justice (AACJ) Project.
He said that the team was impressed with a lot of trees that was planted in the community and advised the people to continue to plant more trees in order to protect the environment.
He explained that God has created natural resources and trees to benefit man and help preserve as well as protect the environment, but human activities often destroy the environment and altars what was meant to be.
Arigbabo further explained that haman beings usually engages in unnecessary cutting down of trees for fire wood, wood, charcoal among others thereby exposing the environment to havoc and danger.
He added that the trees is also providing human beings with favourable weather, shelter and protection from excessive heat and cool.
“We no that kerosene and cooking gas is expensive and people need to cook, boil water, as such people result to cutting down of trees to make fire wood.
“So, if most cut down trees for cooking and other uses, you should go far from where you are staying.
He however, advised them to adopt the use of cooking gas in order to safe themselves and thier environment from flooding and other disaster.
On the impact of floods that destroyed farmland, houses and property in the community in 2022, the executive secretary sympathised with them and promised to channel their complaints to the appropriate authorities with a view of assisting them.
He also said that the team discovered that the community has no borehole and the people have to track for over two or three kilometers before they fitch water from the stream.
He therefore, advised the community to take advantage rain and embrace rain water harvesting techniques for now before they get aid from either the government or other organisations.
On his part, Mr Jonathan Joshua, National President, Association of Small-Scale Agro Producers in Nigeria (ASSAPIN), commended the group for taking sensitisation about climate change to small scale farmers in the community.
He promised to collaborate with the relevant authorities to ensure easy access of weather prediction to rural farmers, because lack of it over the years had caused a lot of havoc to thier farmlands.
Earlier, Mrs Esther Friday and Mrs Mary Loya who spoke on behalf of the community expressed gratitude to the group for the sensitisation and assignment of the impact of 2022 flood in the area.
The woman explained that their croups such as rice, sugarcane, maize, as well as thier houses were destroyed by the flood without any intervention from either the government, groups or individuals. (NAN).