The Director of African Climate Reporters (ACR), Mr Nurudeen Bello, has called on  the Federal Government to provide subsidies for petrol and kerosene to prevent tree felling and promote greener energy use.

Bello,  made the call in Kaduna on Friday, May 24, 2025, while visiting the Womenhood School of Health Science and Technology.

He claimed that the high cost of cooking gas and kerosene compels many people to rely on firewood and charcoal, accelerating deforestation in Northern Nigeria.

“Making gas and kerosene affordable will reduce pressure on forests and encourage households to adopt safer and cleaner energy sources,” he said.

Bello advocated for promoting fuel-efficient cooking stoves, especially among women in rural and urban areas, as part of broader efforts to curb environmental degradation.

Also a climatologist, he emphasised the importance of tree planting in addressing environmental challenges such as desertification, erosion and windstorms.

According to Bello, planting trees around homes, schools, markets, hospitals, and places of worship can serve as natural barriers against strong winds and prevent soil erosion.

“In places like Kasuwan Magani in Southern Kaduna, several homes and worship centres have been destroyed by windstorms, damage that could have been mitigated by adequate tree cover,” he said.

He added that tree roots help to bind the soil, particularly in areas with loose or weak soil, thereby preventing land degradation.

Bello described tree planting as a simple, low-cost solution with long-term benefits, including soil protection and environmental stability.

“Trees are more than just part of our landscape, they’re a natural defence against many environmental threats,” he said.

Bello called on government agencies and environmental stakeholders to intensify awareness campaigns and support afforestation efforts at the grassroots level.

The Emir stated this in Daura on Friday, when Mr Saleh Abubakar, the Director General of the National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW), visited him.

According to the emirate council, tree cutting in the area is a serious offence because it can have devastating consequences for the community.

The royal father said that for a very long time, the emirate council had concluded that cutting trees was equivalent to killing a human being.

According to him, because tree planting is important, the emirate has provided serious punishment against anyone found guilty of cutting trees.

He added that most environmental challenges facing many areas were due to the nonchalant attitude of cutting down trees.

Umar-Faruq said that the Daura emirate council was the first nationwide, especially regarding tree planting.

“The emirate council is fully ready to support the agency in distributing the date seeds, because it will reduce unemployment and insecurity,” he assured.

The emir also promised to further sensitise the public to the importance of tree planting in the area, urging them to grow and nurture trees to combat deforestation and protect the environment.

He urged the agency to address deforestation and its environmental impact, which could lead to desert encroachment and climate change.

Earlier, the agency director general said the advocacy visit was to seek the emir’s support in fighting the encroachment of the Sahara desert.

According to Abubakar, the encroachment affects farmland and kills domestic animals. Hence, the residents must adopt a tree-planting culture to improve the environment.

He said the encroachment had been happening for a long time, but it was beyond expectations recently.

“Therefore, if prevented, we will witness the rainy season, enabling the farmers to harvest more and boost the economy.

“In recent times, we’re experiencing too much heat, unlike before; it’s only the planting of trees that can prevent this situation,” he said.

He stated that he was struck by the area’s extensive land and tree-planting efforts during his trip to Daura.

He informed the emir of the agency’s planned visits to the 11 northern states where it has operations, including Katsina, noting that Daura is a key location for their visit.

Nigeria has the potential to generate over N300 billion in its economy by planting and harvesting a particular resource in a four-year cycle. Currently, an agency with operations in Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Jigawa, Kebbi, Kano, Zamfara, Sokoto, Yobe, and Katsina states is involved in this endeavour.

Source: Environ News 

Image Credit: SundiataPost