The Benue State Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) has announced plans to reforest the Agundu Forest Reserve in Gboko local government area to accelerate afforestation in Benue State.
The State Project Coordinator of Benue ACReSAL, Bldr. Victor Ama made the disclosure in Gboko during an engagement with the Gboko South and Mbakpegh communities.
Bldr. Ama who said ACReSAL has adopted practical measures to achieve planting of trees that are capable of improving degraded land, decried the rate of deforestation adding that it was faster than the rate of tree planting and that ACReSAL project was out to sensitize communities on the dangers associated with tree felling as well as intervene in afforestation and reforestation of the state forest reserves among other interventions.
He advised that “we should have a mindset change and realize that trees are for life and when the last tree dies the last man on earth dies too.’’ He further added that deforestation is doing damage to the environment and once the environment is wronged our health is at risk and the economic impact will be alarming.
The State Project Coordinator therefore called on members of the communities to embrace the ACReSAL project which is a World Bank Assisted project that is aimed at restoring degraded land, increasing food productivity, helping a wide range of communities adapt to evolving dryland conditions, and improving the standard of living.
Speaking, the district head of Gboko South, Chief Akpam Abeke, and that of Mbakpegh, Chief Teghtegh Ashim all expressed appreciation to the State Project Coordinator and Benue State government for considering reforesting the Agundu forest reserve and pledged the cooperation of their communities to the success of the project.
Also speaking, the President General of the Ipav Development Association, Tov Tyokohol, Mrs. Ngufan Amase, and Aondonengen Ansha among others, also expressed their willingness to work for the success of the ACReSAL project implementation.
The event was attended by the Director of Forestry Services, Ministry of Water Resources, Environment and Climate Change, Mr. Peter Tyolumun Gever, members of the Benue ACReSAL Focal Non-Governmental Organization (FONGO) led by Victor Asobo, the Benue ACReSAL State Project Monitoring Unit (SPMU) and Gboko Local Government Project Management Committee (LGPMC).
This is commendable especially at this time the world is ravaged by climate change.
Thank you very much for your support.