GGPI initiative targets environmental protection, erosion control, biodiversity conservation and sustainable living among students
By Yahaya Idris
Barr. Ladi Ahmed Jatto, OON, has launched a school-based tree-planting initiative across Kogi Central as part of efforts to strengthen climate education and promote environmental sustainability among young people.
The initiative, organised under the platform of the Global Green Pillars Initiative (GGPI), combines the planting of economic and shade trees with educational support and menstrual hygiene interventions in secondary schools across the senatorial district.
Jatto, the Chief Executive Officer of GGPI and State Project Coordinator of the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) Project in Kogi State, said the programme reflects her personal commitment to building a healthier environment through grassroots participation.
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At the flag-off ceremony, she stressed that environmental protection should begin in schools, where students can acquire the knowledge and habits needed to safeguard natural resources.
“This is a personal mission for me, among several others I have undertaken over the years to make our environment friendly and healthy. I believe that true environmental change must start with our young people,” she said.
She explained that the initiative was designed to help students understand the environmental, social and economic benefits of planting and nurturing trees.
According to Jatto, trees play important roles in absorbing carbon dioxide, releasing oxygen, protecting the soil against erosion, providing shade and supporting biodiversity.
She added that fruit-bearing trees such as mango, cashew, moringa and citrus could also contribute to food security and provide future economic benefits to communities.
The initiative further promotes awareness of the role trees play in water conservation, reducing surface runoff and supporting healthier ecosystems.
Jatto noted that cultivating environmental responsibility among secondary school students would encourage them to become active participants in protecting their communities.
“When tree planting becomes a culture in secondary schools, we will no longer need to enforce environmental protection; the children themselves will become its protectors,” she said.
The programme aligns thematically with the objectives of landscape restoration and climate resilience promoted through ACReSAL, although the school outreach is described as one of Jatto’s personal initiatives.
Over the years, she has also supported community clean-up campaigns, climate-change awareness programmes for women and youths, advocacy against indiscriminate tree felling, promotion of clean cooking energy and efforts to encourage watershed protection.
In addition to planting trees, the programme provides writing materials to students and reusable sanitary pads to adolescent girls, reflecting the organisers’ approach to linking environmental sustainability with education and health.
The reusable pads are intended to improve menstrual hygiene and offer a reusable alternative to disposable products, while the educational materials are designed to support students and ease some of the financial pressures on their families.
Schools in Adavi, Ajaokuta, Okehi, Okene and Ogori-Magongo local government areas are among the beneficiaries of the intervention.
Principals, students, teachers and GGPI volunteers participated in the symbolic planting exercise, while Green Clubs were inaugurated in participating schools to encourage environmental education and sustained care for the trees.
The organisers expect the school-based approach to strengthen environmental awareness among students and encourage the adoption of sustainable practices beyond the classroom.
For the initiative to deliver lasting benefits, the survival of the planted trees will depend on regular watering, protection against damage and continued participation by students, teachers and school authorities.
