The Commandant of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Major General Adeniyi Oyebade has emphasized that planting of trees will ensure greener, safer and healthier environment.
He stated this during the flag-off of NDA Green Project at the Afaka Campus on Friday.
General Oyebade affirmed that without trees there will be no healthy life. According to him, the challenges faced in the Sub-Saharan Africa is rapid desertification, which he noted can be solved through planting of trees.
He thereafter revealed that a policy called “Green Policy” will be instituted in the Academy aimed to ban indiscriminate cutting down of trees within 2 campuses of the institution.
He urged all staff to plant and maintain a tree which will beautify the environment and provide shade among other benefits, even as he promised to give out free trees to interested members of staff to plant in their personal residences.
Earlier, the Director of Administration, Commodore Joseph Ake, while giving the highlights of the event said that the Commandant, in his drive towards sustaining a healthy and beautiful environment, has graciously financed the purchase of 10,000 trees from the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN) for planting in and around the Academy.
While quoting a Chinese proverb, he said “Best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago, the second best time is now.”
Other staff who planted trees at the ceremony were Deputy Commandant, AVM IS Kaita, Academy Provost, Professor AS Nwankwo, and other Principal Staff Officers. Others were Deans of Faculties, Heads of Centers, Officers and Senior Civilian Staff.
