Operation Green launched in Abuja
By Ishaya Ibrahim
Monday, September 22, 2008
Aliyu Modibo, FCT minister, leads Nigerians and foreign dignitaries to launch a campaign under which one million trees will be planted
Aliyu Modibo, the minister of the federal capital territory, FCT, is set to change the face of the nation’s capital city. He plans to plant one million trees to beautify the environment. Already, a draft bill that would protect the vegetation of the capital city is on its way to the National Assembly.
The bill, if passed, will make it a crime to alter the vegetation of the city. "The new law will make it an offence to fell trees without getting the approval of relevant authorities at the FCT. Offenders will be prosecuted in accordance with the environmental laws," Modibbo said.
The minister has also inaugurated a 10-member board of trustees for the Abuja Green Society, AGS. The aim of AGS is to deepen its concept, which is to improve the aesthetic of the capital city by planting one million trees before the end of the year. Theophilus Danjuma, former minister of defence, is its chairman and Newton Jibunoh, vice-chairman. Eugenia Abu and Isah Muhammed are its treasurer and secretary, respectively.
The minister explained that the new law would legalise the activities of the AGS whose take-off would also signify a new beginning in making the entire nation conscious of the environment. He said the AGS would promote the planting of trees in the FCT as a way of minimising the growing effects of the depletion in the ozone layer. He said anybody who wants to use parks and gardens in the capital city must obtain permission from the AGS.
The Abuja master plan provides that one-third of the entire 8,000 square kilometres of land in the FCT be left green. One of the ways to make this a reality, according to the minister, is to ensure that the department of development control would approve no building plan if it does not show clearly where trees are being planted or are to be planted.
Danjuma, responding on behalf of the board of trustees of the AGS, lauded the minister for his thoughtfulness in conceiving the lofty idea that would make Abuja a green city. He advised the FCT administration to speed up the process to ensure the smooth passage of the bill by the National Assembly.
Since the commencement of the one million tree planting campaign by the FCT administration, more than 200,000 trees have been planted. British Naomi Campbell, model, was among the international stars that joined the FCT administration in the tree planting exercise.
|
