By Cecilia Ogezi (Correspondent, Abuja)
The L.E.A Primary School of Byanzhin area of Kubwa, Abuja, was on Friday given a face lift as members of the Rotary Club Getaway chapter of Kubwa stormed the school as part of its annual tree planting project.
The Rotary led by its club president, Rotarian Chukwudi Kingsley Onuorah, said the project was a necessary way of managing the environment and ensuring that pupils of the school get maximum environmental protection from the hazards and whims of the natural environment particularly in this era of climate change.
Speaking on the inspiration behind the initiative, Chukwudi said it is an essential agricultural practice that underpines environmental safety which could have practical effects on knowledge dissemination to the pupils.
He said, "Basically, it is a project that has to do with the environment. It is one of the seven areas of focus of the rotary foundation. So it is something very important for the environment. We cannot underestimate the importance of tree planting. It provides shades. It provides oxygen to the environment and like some of the trees we planted, it serves as wind breakers. We also have economic trees that when they grow, people will begin to enjoy their fruits.
"Having this project in school will enable the children to have practical knowledge of trees and certain fruits. We have been doing this, but this particular project was sponsored by Alhaji Raji Mohammed and we appreciate him immensely. It is a continuum, so long as we continue to get sponsors. But we will leverage more on the raining season. It is something we do yearly".
According to the Club Project Chairman, Rotarian Chimezie Ojiabo, the tree planting project is central to the heart of modern environmental management and particularly designed to serve as food source to the pupils in the long run.
He said, "Of course, we all know that recently environmental degradation is posing a very serious challenge to human existence. The abuse of our environment through all means of activities, industrial activities, mismanagement of our national resources and all that. So the rotary club has seen that as a major challenge to human existence and now made environment an integral part of our seven area of focus and in this area of focus the major target is tree planting because we see it as a veritable solution to this environmental challenge.
"You know the importance of trees, in terms of human existence, the oxygen we need, we get from the plants, while they absorb the cabon dioxide which poses threat to human existence. When these trees grow, the effect is general on the environment. In a place like this, which is a school, it not only provide shades during the extreme hot weather but also serves as wind breaker in the event of excessive wind. You can see it is a common scene in Abuja here, where some buildings and roofs are blown off by wind. So, when you have these trees around it helps to break the wind and save such structures.
"This particular one now, you can see it is a school environment where you have lots of pupils. So we decided to do more of economic trees, where you have guava, cashew and orange, so that when they grow they can also serve as food for the pupils, Ojiabo added.
Also speaking on the Project, the Head Mistress of Byanzhin L.E.A Primary School, Mrs Tabitha Solomon Azaki, said it was a very laudable initiative by an esteemed organization, and that it will go a long way in the school environment management.
She said, "I was informed about this project through the community leaders and l am also aware of their coming. I am so glad that they chose my school to be among the schools that should benefit from this project. I hope and pray that when the trees grow, the purpose of their planting will be fulfilled", Mrs Azaki said with optimism. NNL.
