The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Foundation Limited has reiterated its commitment to restore Nigeria’s landscape and build a greener future for all citizens.

The Foundation’s Managing Director, Emmanuella Arukwe, said this at the planting of trees at the Junior Secondary School, Hajj Camp, Gwagwalada, Abuja.

Ms Arukwe, represented by the Executive Director, Programme Development, NNPC Foundation, Dr Bala David, said the importance of tree planting could not be overemphasised.

“We are here to mark World Environment Day, which is celebrated every June 5, and we have come to celebrate it with the pupils of Junior Secondary School, Hajj Camp, Gwagwalada. We had a session with the students on the Foundation and what we do. We are mandated to operate in the environment, health and education areas. So, being the world’s environmental day, we came here to be able to plant trees that will eventually restore the environment,” she said.

The principal of the school, Hauwa Aliyu, said collective climate action was needed to protect the environment.

She stated, “This day aims at encouraging communities to take action towards protecting their environment. As our climate changes and its impact continues to affect us, we must continue to find sustainable ways to protect it for future generations.’’

The principal, while commending the group for their efforts in restoring the school’s environment, said she was surprised by the team’s presence.

“I feel great that the NNPC Foundation remembered our school and is here to celebrate this remarkable day with us. When I was called yesterday, I did not believe it was real until I saw you here. I am happy, and the students are equally happy. Your presence today has taught me and the whole school a lot of things that we did not know about the environment and the need for it to be restored,” she said.

The principal also expressed the school’s commitment to ensuring that the trees planted were monitored for the benefit of the pupils and Nigerians.

“I have a team of agricultural science teachers on ground, and I have given them the mandate to ensure the sustainability of this project. And I assure you that they will do their best to take care of the trees being planted today,” she added.

Meanwhile, Vice-President, Association of Flower and Nursery Practitioners, Abuja, Abe Ajayi, said tree planting was important because it sustained life.

He said, “Some of these trees have economic and health benefits. So it is key that we plant trees.”

He advised against cutting down trees, saying it was better to trim them instead of cutting them and distorting nature.

A pupil, Etuka Smile, expressed pleasure at the idea of planting trees in her school.

“I feel great about what is happening here because I want the environment to be clean. “I want to advise those cutting down trees to stop, as it is affecting our climate and living standard, ’’the student said.

Another pupil, Sanusi Alamin, said, “I am happy that we got to celebrate World Environmental Day in our school today. There are some areas I know without a single tree where one can have shade, and I wish this kind of exercise would reach such places. So that the people will understand the advantages of planting trees, what it signifies and be inspired to plant trees for the good of our environment.”

(NAN)