RSG Flags Off Tree Planting Campaign

The Rivers State Government,  has flagged off the planting  of  16,000  trees across the state.
Permanent  Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Dr. Emmanuel  Urang   told newsmen  during the flagging off ceremony last Friday  in Port Harcourt, that the planting exercise  was part of activities to mark the Golden Jubilee Anniversary  Dr. Urang also said that the tree planting campaign was inline with the  new vision of the present administration  which  aims at creating sustainable  environment and good health for  the people.
He urged the people to reciprocate  government  gesture  by not only planting  trees, but  maintaining the existing ones in their  vicinities.
According to him,  man needs plants for  survival  as they  perform important functions as far as the existence of humanities are concerned.
The  permanent secretary listed  some of the functions  performed  by plants to include mitigating the impacts  of climate change, helps in  tracking  particles  in the atmosphere as well as the reduction of carbondioxide  in the atmosphere.
Meanwhile,  Dr. Urang has  warned those burning tyres  in Njemarize waterfront and other parts of the city to desist  in their own interest and that of the state.
He  said that, the security agencies have been placed  on alert  to arrest  and prosecute  anyone  found burning  tyres  in any  part of the state.
While  stressing the need for the security agencies to stop the burning of seized petroleum  products, Urang  said that the activities  of those burning tyres and that of seized petroleum  products are helping to increase the rate of black soot into the atmosphere.
On the  issue of flooding in the state, the Permanent   Secretary  said that the Ministry of Environment and its Special Duties counterpart are working  together  to sensitise  people  living  in flood prone areas  of the  state to some level  in Njemanze waterfront  and other  parts of the city to extract wires to desist  in their  own interest and that of the  State.
According to him, people  living in flood prone areas must avoid dumping of refuse into the gutters and drains, as well as to stop  the construction  of houses along water ways