By Daniel Tyokua
The minister of state for the Federal Captial Territory,FCT, Dr Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu has asked youth in Abuja to beautify the city by planting of trees.
She stated this at the flag-off of tree planting project on Thursday, by Nigerian youths in commemoration of the World Youth Skills Day organised by the FCT Social Development Secretariat.
The minister called on the youths to key into skills development which she described as a panacea to reducing unemployment and poverty in the country.
According to her, the initiative was in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s agenda in mobilizing youths to plant 25 million trees in Nigeria to achieve improved and sustainable environment.
In statement issued by Austine Elemue, Special Assistant on media to the minister, stated that the Sustainable Development Goals No13 emphasized the need for urgent action to combat climate change and its impact.
It noted that all nations of the world are committed to focus attention of the huge population of youths to tree planting to promote greening and aesthetics of the environment by adoring it with ornamental plants, shrubs, and trees for a sustainable environment.
“The role of youth in environmental protection cannot be over emphasized. The youth constitute a larger part of the world’s population and young people will have to live longer with the consequences of current environmental decisions than the elders.
“Future generation will also be affected by these decisions and the extent to which they have addressed concerns such as the depletion of resources, biodiversity loss, and long-lived radioactive waste. It is therefore very significant that we ensure the beautification of the FCT through planting of trees, to rid the FCT of waste to achieve an improved and sustainable environment.
“The president has therefore charged every Nigerian youth to be committed to the protection of the environment by getting involved in such unique activities like tree planting to propel the green economy and increase citizens’ health,”Aliyu stated.
The minister therefore urged all youths to imbibe the right attitude that would support government to promote policies on youth development and mainstreaming of youth in all the sectors of development for the actualization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Aliyu used the occasion to commend the youth in the sensitization of residents on the outbreak of COVID-19 and youth support in the equitable distribution of palliative items to the vulnerable in rural communities.
In her remarks, the Acting Secretary of Social Development Secretariat, Mrs. Dili Onyedinma, noted that engaging youths in environmental protection would not only create direct impact on their behaviours, but will also influence their immediate communities.
