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By Madu Obi
The Prefect emeritus of the Congregation of Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments at the Vatican, Cardinal Francis Arinze is to flag off the tree planting exercise at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Igbariam.
It is part of the university's bold step towards a sustainable future with an insightful Climate Change Summit.
Anambra State governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo has already donated 100,000 palm trees to the university to foster eco-friendly environment in the school.
Acting Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof Kate Omenugha said ahead of the forthcoming Climate Change Summit and Tree Planting Awareness Campaign being organized by the institution, slated for July 17th, 2024 that the governor's gesture was part of his vision of making Anambra a clean, green, livable, and prosperous state in Nigeria.
She noted that the exercise will provide “one tree, one staff, one tree, one student", adding that a total of one million trees has been mapped out for the project.
Omenugha said the university is committed to creating sustainable, responsible, and actionable steps toward a green, healthier, and eco-friendly environment in Igbariam and Uli campuses of the institution.
Prof Omenugha said the gesture, which is first of its kind since the inception of the university, was part of the governor’s vision of making Anambra a clean, green, livable, and prosperous state in Nigeria.
She said the launch would also coincide with the 5-year strategic roadmap for tree planting and climate action 2024-2029 and would be closely followed by the commencement of the ambitious tree planting exercise to plant one million trees in the university in the next five years.
She said: “Let us plant today, for a greener world tomorrow, thereby making COOU, Anambra, Nigeria, and our planet greener, healthier, and more beautiful.
Every tree planted is a step towards a brighter future. Let us unite in this noble cause and spread the word – one tree at a time.
The tree-planting project will nurture a healthy living environment for staff, students, and the entire university community in general.
The initiative to plant trees is a new endeavor for the university. The institution is fully prepared to partner with Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and several other stakeholders in both private and government establishments in ensuring that there is an apparent increase in school tree planting."
She urged the university community to align with the initiative, stressing that urban forest is a long-term endeavour that requires sustained commitment and support by the community.
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