COOU Launches Tree Planting, Climate Action Summit with Road Walk Show in Awka
The acting Vice Chancellor of the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, COOU, Prof. Kate Azuka Omenugha, her entire staff and students organized a road walk show to create awareness for the commencement of the planting of 1miillion trees ahead of its official flag off on July 17, 2024.
The tree planting project is being organized under a theme: Tree-mendous strategy for a sustainable future.
Omenugha and thousands of the University community were at Alex Ekwueme square on Saturday, the 6th of July, 2024 for the road show.
In her opening remarks, Prof. Omenugha, welcomed the teeming crowd of the school community, expressing the joy in her heart that the road show is already a success.
“This is a road show that intends to announce the amazing Tree Planting exercise that would come up on the 17th of July, 2024, she re-emphasized”.
According to her, the Summit will witness the presence of resource persons including Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMet), renown Olympic Sprint Athlete, Mary Onyali, the University’s alumnus, environmental professionals and enthusiasts.
The 16km road show started from Alex Ekwueme, through the Express-way down to Unizik Junction,walking through Abakaliki street while reconvening back at the starting point.
Part of the fun to the exercise saw the University deans, department heads, Professors, students dance in ecstacy to the glory of God for a clement weather and success of the epoc making occasion.
In her brief closing remarks, the acting Vice Chancellor, Prof Kate Omenugha thanked the attendants with great emphasis on the university professors, academic staff, non academic staff, supporters and the amazing students that came through.
Omenugha stressed further that the initiative is expected to beautify the university campus and contribute to a healthier environment by absorbing carbon dioxide, improving air quality, providing natural shade, promoting the green economy and advancing climate literacy.
“This climate change initiative is so dear to me which is going to paint the institution green for a more suitable future, she maintained. We’re intending to make statement to the whole world that indeed our university is a GREEN UNIVERSITY.
She thanked in a special way, the state governor of Anambra, Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo for leading this course by donating 100,000 trees for this tree planting project. It was actually 100k palm-tree for a possible school palm plantation. Chief Ebubeogu who gave the school a lot of the Economic trees was also appreciated.
Mrs Iwuno who is a Lecturer in the Department of Public Administration, of COOU pointed out the takeaway from the tree planting exercise is the actualization of provision of natural tree canopy, appreciation of nature in stabilization and reduction of level of carbon dioxide in the air through process of photosynthesis by way of absorption of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere which trees use and in turn release oxygen into the atmosphere which man breathes for live.
Iwuno emphasized the need for everybody to plant tree, hailing the concept of “One Staff – One Tree, One Student – One Tree” which she noted tasks all and sundry to play an active role in rescuing the threatened environment through pro-active tree planting climate action.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the COOU 5-year Strategic Plan for Tree Planting Committee, Prof. Kingsley Nwozor heaped praises on the action parked acting Vice-Chancellor for engineering such an amazing project in the school environment and Anambra state as a whole while stressing that the ongoing work on the roads ,major roads is to ensure people can walk to any part of the school without sun touching on them under the natural tree canopies.
He made emphasis on the relationship to boost edible and botanical trees for environmental, green economy and eco-tourism in support of the communities in the 21 Local Government Areas of the State.
Prof. Kay kay Nwozo maintained that the acting Vice Chancellor has created a five year road map that’s organic, systematic and well planned.