Bauchi State Governor, Sen. Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, has called for collective and sustained efforts to tackle the environmental challenges confronting the state as he flagged off the 2025 annual tree planting campaign.
The official launch of the campaign took place on Thursday in Kuletu community, Dass Local Government Area, with the participation of traditional rulers, religious leaders, development partners, students, farmers, and environmental advocates.
In his address, the governor said the campaign was a strategic response to the increasing threats of desertification, deforestation, water scarcity, and climate change, which he said continued to impact agricultural productivity and the livelihood of rural communities.
He decried harmful practices such as bush burning and overgrazing, which he described as persistent threats to the fragile ecosystem in Bauchi and the wider Sahel belt.
“As a government, we are committed to reversing the trend of environmental degradation. But this cannot be achieved by government alone,” Mohammed said. “Communities, institutions, and individuals must take ownership of this campaign and protect the environment for future generations.”
Governor Mohammed disclosed that over one million tree seedlings had been raised through partnerships with the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project and other stakeholders.
He said the seedlings, including both indigenous and economically viable species, would be distributed to schools, communities, and public institutions across the 20 local government areas of the state.
The governor said Dass LGA was chosen for the campaign launch as a sign of solidarity with the community, which was recently affected by a severe windstorm.
He urged local government chairmen, traditional leaders, and other key stakeholders to take full responsibility for implementing and sustaining the initiative at the grassroots.
“This is not just about planting trees; it is about safeguarding our future and protecting our environment from further destruction,” he added.
The 2025 tree planting campaign aligns with Bauchi State’s broader environmental resilience agenda and contributes to Nigeria’s national commitment to climate action and land restoration.
