By Jako Keke, July 11, 2026
The Taraba State Government has sustained its 2026 School Tree Planting Campaign with the planting of trees at Government Day Secondary School (GDSS), Kofai ATC, and the Taraba State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) headquarters in Jalingo as part of efforts to combat climate change, restore degraded landscapes, and promote environmental sustainability.
The campaign, spearheaded by the Taraba State Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, followed the earlier flag-off at Federal Government Girls' College (FGGC), Jalingo, and subsequent exercise at Nyamusala Nursery and Primary School.
Leading the exercise, the Commissioner for Environment and Climate Change, Hajiya Aishat A. Barde, accompanied by the Commissioners for Science and Technology, Hon. Muslim Usman Abdullahi, and Digital Economy and Innovation, Hon. Nonso Gideon Mbaso, alongside the Permanent Secretary, directors, ministry officials, and the management of GDSS Kofai, reaffirmed the state's commitment to environmental restoration through sustained tree planting.
Welcoming the delegation, the Vice Principal of GDSS Kofai described the initiative as timely, noting that the school has been severely affected by gully erosion. She said the newly planted trees would contribute significantly to restoring the environment while providing shade, serving as windbreaks, and improving the school's ecosystem.
Addressing students and staff, Hajiya Barde commended Governor Agbu Kefas for prioritising environmental protection through climate-focused policies and nature-based solutions aimed at reversing environmental degradation across the state.
She described trees as indispensable tools for combating climate change, reducing carbon emissions, preventing soil erosion, and restoring ecosystems, urging the school community to nurture the seedlings to maturity through proper watering and protection.
A major highlight of the event was the inauguration of students of Government Day Secondary School, Kofai, as Environmental Ambassadors. The Commissioner charged them to become advocates of environmental conservation by safeguarding the planted trees and promoting tree planting in their homes and communities.
In his goodwill message, the Commissioner for Digital Economy and Innovation, Hon. Nonso Gideon Mbaso, encouraged students to embrace tree planting as a practical response to climate change, noting that trees improve air quality, conserve biodiversity, and create healthier communities.
The exercise ended with a symbolic tree planting involving government officials, teachers and students as part of the school's greening initiative and erosion control programme.
The campaign later moved to the Taraba State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Jalingo, where another round of tree planting was carried out.
Speaking during the visit, Hajiya Barde stressed that government institutions must integrate tree planting into their environmental management practices, describing it as an effective strategy for climate action, erosion control, improved air quality, and sustainable development.
She said extending the campaign to public institutions reflects the Ministry's determination to institutionalise environmental stewardship beyond the school system.
The Commissioner reaffirmed that the 2026 School Tree Planting Campaign would continue across more schools and government establishments, adding that monitoring and maintenance measures have been put in place to ensure the survival and long-term impact of the planted trees.
The initiative, she noted, underscores the Taraba State Government's resolve to tackle climate change through nature-based solutions while fostering environmental awareness and a lasting tree-planting culture among young people and public institutions across the state.
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