NCF D-G Aminu Kano
NCF partners TotalEnergies to plant over 200 trees in schools
The Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) says it has in collaboration with TotalEnergies Marketing Nigeria Plc planted over 200 trees in schools across Nigeria within two weeks.
The NCF which disclosed this in a statement issued in Abuja by Oladapo Soneye, Its Head of Communications, said the initiative was being implemented under a project tagged, “Green Stations/Schools Initiative.”
The statement explained that the project which is a tree planting and environmental clean-up initiative across its service stations, neighborhoods and school perimeters. was being implemented across eight states in Nigeria.
Soneye further explained that the initiative was aimed at promoting climate/environmental education, encourage sustainable lifestyles through environmental clean-up and tree planting.
He said that the partnership was triggered by the global efforts in combatting climate change and bring TotalEnergies’ NetZero emission and environmental sustainability closer to its communities through schools and its service stations.
The statement quoted Mrs. Chinwe Ifechigha, Corporate Social Responsibility Manager, TotalEnergies Marketing Nigeria Plc, as saying that, “TotalEnergies Plc all over the world has the Netzero-emission ambition.
“It is aimed at reducing the impact of human activities on the environment. The idea is to use the network of service stations spread across to effect a change in the environment.”
Soneye also quoted Mrs. Vera Fakolujo, Marketing Manager, TotalEnergies Marketing Nigeria Plc as saying, “When you change children, because they are the change agent, they talk to everybody, they go home talk to their parents, they change people.
“When children start to practice tree planting and clean-up, it tends to spread like wildfire.”
According to the statement, Mrs. Abidemi Balogun, the Project Lead for NCF said, “The essence of tree planting to human existence cannot be over-emphasized.
“Trees give fresh air, absorb carbon, provide shades, fruits and so on. This project has also contributed to the goal of the Green Recovery Nigeria initiative of NCF.
”Some of the fruit trees planted include sweet orange, coconut, mango, guava, cashew, pears and others.”
The NCF spokesman said the tree planting and clean-up exercise were carried out in nine (9) schools across eight (8) States, namely: Opebi Junior Grammar School, Opebi, Ikeja Lagos and Falomo Senior High School, Ikoyi, Lagos on 9th &11th Nov. 2021 respectively.
Others were Government Boys Secondary School, Gwagwarwa, Kano on 9th Nov. 2021; Government College, Kaduna on 11th Nov. 2021; Community Secondary School Rumuoprikum, Port Harcourt on 12th Nov. 2021; University of Benin Demonstration Secondary School, Benin City on 15th Nov. 2021.
Also, Government Secondary School, Tundun Wada, Abuja FCT took their turn on 16th Nov. 2021; Molete High School, Ibadan on 17th Nov. 2021 and Abeokuta Grammar School, Idi-Aba, Abeokuta on 18th Nov. 2021.
“Some of the post-project activities include setting up of Environmental Clubs (Conservation Clubs) to promote environmental education among the students while encouraging them to take actions to protect their environment.
“This is to sustain the project as the clean-up culture. Also to set up gardens to promote organic farming by planting vegetables and making use of waste materials to beautify the garden,” the statement added.(NAN)
