Lady Obareki Flags Off RHI’s Green Nigeria Challenge In A’Ibom

… Rallies State’s 31 LGAs For Tree-Planting Campaign
UYO
The coordinator, Office of the First Lady of Akwa Ibom State, Lady Helen Eno Obareki, has flagged off the Renewed Hope Initiative, RHI Green Nigeria Challenge in the state, calling on all the 31 local government areas to actively participate in the nationwide environmental sustainability initiative through tree planting and community beautification projects.
The exercise, which featured the planting of trees, was part of the Renewed Hope Initiative’s broader campaign aimed at promoting environmental sustainability, improving public spaces and encouraging citizens to take ownership of their surroundings through tree planting, landscaping and waste-to-green projects.
  Lady Obareki, who is the State Coordinator of the RHI, in her speech to flag off the exercise, recently, along the Clement Isong Road, Uyo, said the initiative was directed by Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, who mandated First Ladies across the country to implement the programme in their respective states.
She commended Nigeria’s First Lady for championing the initiative, noting that the benefits of tree planting would outlive the present generation and contribute to a healthier environment for years to come, saying, “The trees we are planting today will stand as a legacy for future generations. I look forward to a time when we can drive past this road and proudly say, ‘We planted that tree right there’.”
  Lady Obareki urged citizens to embrace the campaign by participating in environmental sanitation, beautification and tree-planting activities in their communities, and particularly appealed to the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) and the Wives of All Local Government Chairmen of Nigeria (WALGON) in the state, to mobilise their respective local government chairmen and their spouses to replicate the initiative across all their respective local government areas in Akwa Ibom.
She also called on participants to document their activities with photographs and videos as part of the state’s participation in the national RHI Green Nigeria Challenge, expressing optimism that Akwa Ibom would emerge as overall winner of the competition.
  Also, she thanked all stakeholders and volunteers for their support and urged them to sustain their commitment towards building a greener, cleaner and healthier Akwa Ibom for future generations.
The commissioner for Environment, Hon. Nsikak Ekong, said planting of trees was not only beneficial to the environment but also to humans. 
  On her part, the commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Offiong Offor, mentioned the benefits of tree planting to include provision of shed, beautification of environment and support of erosion control. 
The chairman of Uyo Local Government Council and chairman of ALGON in Akwa Ibom, Hon. Uwemedimo Udo, expressed his commitment to ensuring that the exercise is replicated in all the 31 local government areas.
The Symbolic planting of trees was performed by the coordinator, Lady Obareki alongside the commissioner for women affairs, Mrs. Inibehe Silas; commissioner for Environment, Hon. Nsikak Ekong; commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Offiong Offor, a representative from the Ministry of Works, and the president of the Commissioners and Special Advisers Wives Association (COSAWA), Dr Bright Archibong. 
Others were the chairman of Uyo Local Government Council, Hon. Uwemedimo Udo; president of Wives of All Local Government Chairmen of Nigeria (WALGON), Mrs Akaninyene Udo; SSA to the Governor on Agric Business, Pastor Godwin Ukwat; a representative of Rotary Club, Uyo District; Team Lead of GIFA, Pastor Anne Abraham; and the Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps in Akwa Ibom, Felicia Kalu.