In its efforts at ensuring a greener and safer environment, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has donated 1, 000 trees to be planted across selected schools within the FCT.

GMD NNPC, Engr Austen Oniwon dropped this hint during the schools tree planting campaign in Model Secondary School (MSS), Maitama, Abuja to mark this year’s World Environment Day.

 Shortly after kick-starting the tree planting campaign, Engr Oniwon said the initiative was the Corporation’s little contribution towards mitigating the raging menace of climate change.

“This is a contribution towards the positive actions required to protect and enhance the quality of our environment. It is in consonance with the objectives of NNPC Group HSE Policy Statement and our Corporate Social Responsibility,” the GMD stated.

 According to the GMD, the schools tree planting project is intended to create awareness and inculcate into the students the love for nature and the need for environmental protection.

“It is also meant to communicate the knowledge that forests serve as a sink for the carbon dioxide that creates the problem of ozone layer depletion and climate change,” the GMD noted.

He urged the students to go back to their homes and streets to plant trees and preserve forests and planted trees anywhere and everywhere. “Please do not cut trees without ensuring that you replace them,” he pleaded.

This year’s World Environment Day had the theme: Forests: Nature at your service,” a theme the GMD said aptly captured the message of the symbolic tree planting campaign in the selected schools.

The NNPC tree planting campaign was carried out in seven schools across the FCT in conjunction with the Green Tree African Initiative (GTAI), an NGO responsible for protecting the environment.

The GTAI is also responsible for the conservation of biodiversity towards achieving food security, healthy living and combating climate change through tree planting projects for sustainable development.

Speaking earlier, Chairman of the GTAI, Brig. Gen. (Dr.) Alfred Ilogho (Rtd) thanked the NNPC Management for its foresight and efforts in the fight against climate change, stressing that “we hope to sustain it for life”

Also speaking, the Principal of MSS Maitama, Mrs Margaret Aderinto lauded the gesture from the NNPC even as she pledged to nurture the trees and “make the place a recreational garden on behalf of NNPC.”

The seven beneficiary schools are: GSSS Kubwa, GSS Gwagwalada, GSS Life Camp/Gwarimpa, MSS Maitama, GSS Kuje, GSS Lugbe and GSS Nyanya.