Gombe partners Forestry Institute on tree planting

Gombe State government says it is partnering with the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN) to scale-up the planting of four million trees under its Gombe Goes Green (3G) initiative.

Governor Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya stated this at the weekend during a meeting with the Director General of the FRIN, Professor Adeshola Adepoju, held at the governor’s office.

The governor said the areas of collaboration include technical support, research, training and capacity building with a view to strengthen and scale-up the state’s 3G initiative.

The meeting also discussed doubling the 3G’s target as well as supporting the state Ministry of Environment and Forest Resources, on mapping and assessment of forest resources.

Governor Yahaya further stressed his administration’s readiness to partner with the FRIN in tackling environmental challenges and other aspects of forestry, including forest products utilisation, watershed management and agro-forestry, as well as the forestry value chain.

He informed the FRIN Director General that the choice of Gombe to serve as a regional hub for seedlings production for afforestation programme is appropriate considering the location of the state in the North East sub-region.

He commended the Federal Government’s plan to plant 25 million trees to combat climate change, saying the State Government has since initiated measures towards ecological restoration through the 3G initiative, “which is now a model for the country.”

Earlier, the FRIN Director General, Professor Adepoju commended Governor Yahaya’s afforestation drive and assured of the institute’s support through research, training and capacity building to improve forestry value chain using economic trees.