To commemorate the 2022 UN International Day of the Girl Child, the JAM Initiative for Climate Change and Vulnerable Children last week performed the planting of trees at the LEA (nomadic) Primary School Tudun-Fulani in Bwari area council of the FCT.
In her remarks during the exercise, the project coordinator, JAM Initiative, Ms. Toyosi Adenle said the need to fight desert encroachment in Nigeria cannot be overemphasised as the climate is fast changing.
She lamented the devastating effects of environmental degradation which is now made manifest with the destruction of the environment such as the raging floods in 32 out of 36 states of the federation.
Adenle warned that the negative effects of environmental degradation can only be imagined and all hands must be on deck if any meaningful results must be achieved in time to save humanity from the impending disaster.
Speaking at the tree planting ceremony, the head teacher, LEA (Nomadic) Primary School Tudun-Fulani, Mallam Isah Mohammed commended the organisation for choosing to “beautify the school environment by planting trees”.
He called on parents to desist from sending their female children into early marriages.
“We are against the practice of getting our young, under-aged girls to marry. I want parents to send their wards to school to learn. After knowledge acquisition, they can marry anytime. By doing so, they can get appointments while in their husband’s houses, it can help them to take care of their children. This will be of help to the husband, too,” he said.
Similarly in his speech, Mr. Francis Adaja expressed happiness that JAM Initiative chose to plant trees in his school. He said practices like tree planting cool the overheating environment which is giving rise to global warming and climate change.
“We see this as a starting point to building on what JAM Initiative has done. We will make out time to engage our pupils in planting more flowers and trees to add more value to the school and the environment,” he assured.
Adaja also said the narrative about girl-child enrolment in school was gradually changing, as in some situations more girls are enrolled in primary schools than boys.
The highlight of the brief event was the planting of about 50 trees and flowers donated by JAM Initiative.
In an interview with journalists, a 12-year-old, primary six pupil and head prefect of the school, Master Danladi Abednego, said he and other schoolmates will water the plants to maturity daily, until they are fully grown.
Miss Faith Ateigba, 10, a primary five pupil of the same school, promised to water the plants and take care of them.
Tanko Blessing, 11, a primary five pupil, said the rare presence of trees in her school has inspired her to nurture them to grow and ensure they provide shed and save the soil from seasonal erosion.
