By Peter Onyekachukwu 
By Peter Onyekachukwu
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has launched a tree planting campaign in Delta State to promote environmental protection and combat the growing effects of climate change.
The initiative, which took place at Delta Careers College, was part of the Commission’s drive to sensitize residents, especially young people, on the importance of preserving the environment through eco-friendly practices.
Director of NDDC Delta State Office, Onoriode Omo-Udoyo, said the tree planting exercise demonstrates the Commission’s commitment to protecting the environment on a sustainable basis.
He explained that trees play a vital role in absorbing carbon dioxide emissions, improving air and water quality, and sustaining biodiversity, noting that the project aligns with one of NDDC’s core mandates — environmental preservation and ecosystem protection.
“Climate change is here and must be combatted. The NDDC management is committed for the long haul to sensitizing the populace across the Niger Delta region on the need to protect the environment,” Omo-Udoyo stated.
He added that the Commission plans to expand its sensitization drive beyond schools to churches, markets, and other public places to encourage community members to play active roles in sustaining a cleaner and greener environment.
The Chief Consultant of the Foundation for Sustainable Development Options (FOSDO), Dr. Anthony Chovwen, commended NDDC for supporting the initiative, describing it as both “laudable and timely.”
Chovwen said the programme integrated schoolchildren as key partners in environmental education, adding that each participating student received an economic tree to plant and nurture as a long-term commitment to sustainability.
“The joy is that in years to come, these students can return as alumni and point to the trees they planted. It’s about building generations of environmental stewards,” he said.
Also speaking, Dr. Giadom Ferdinand, an Environmental Ecologist from the University of Port Harcourt, noted that the campaign serves as proof that climate change is real and that urgent action is needed to mitigate its devastating impact.
Representing the Delta State Commissioner for Environment, Mrs. Briggs Vivian urged Deltans to adopt eco-friendly practices such as the use of solar and wind energy, as well as the principles of reduce, reuse, and recycle to minimize waste and protect the planet.
A student participant from Delta Careers College, Abdurrahman Abubakr Sadiq, described the event as an eye-opener, saying it made him realize the importance of tree planting in reducing global warming, erosion, and flooding.