LIRA- Sustainable Development Goals [SDGs] Champions in partnership with Uganda National NGO Forum through the Office of the Prime Minister have offered 100 different tree seedlings for planting in Lira City with the aim to protect the environment.
The role of an SDG Champion is to act as an advocate and promoter of the SDGs and a good practice example of how an organisation can contribute to the SDGs and integrate them into their work and activities.
The tree species delivered to Lira City include 15 mangoes, 15 oranges, 15 Jack fruits, 20 termenelia, 10 neem, 10 mvule and 15 teak species.
These shall be planted in Lira City Mayors Garden, and learning institutions which include, Lira Town College, Lango Quran Primary School, Lira Primary School and VH Public School.
Onesmus Kansiime, the senior programme officer in-charge of knowledge management at the Office of the Prime Minister said the tree planting goal is geared at creating awareness about the Sustainable Development Goals [SDG] and its impacts on the locals.
Kansiime further said trees when fully grown not only protect the environment but also structures such as schools from heavy winds, hailstorms among others.
In this Kansiime called upon the masses to embrace tree planting, saying it is the only way the environment can be protected from climate changes.
“One of our goals is to plant trees so that we protect the lives of people, their structures [houses] and land which will need a collective responsibility,” Kansiime said.
Other SDGs include: Clean Water and Sanitation, Life below Water, Life on Land, Affordable and Clean Energy, Zero hunger, No poverty, among others.
Denis Odota, a member of the Sustainable Development Goals Champions attributed the harsh climatic change to negligence by the community such as cutting down trees without replacement and burning them for charcoal.
“These days the weather is very hot which is making people sleepless at nights because of cutting down trees without planting more and burning charcoal.”
Lira City mayor, Sam Atul appreciated the deliverance of the tree seedlings, saying it will help for future purposes such as shades, land protection.
Atul said that the Lira City will help participate in ensuring that the SDGs are achieved.
“We want to join the rest of the world in recommitting to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, for these trees will help serve us not only today but also for future purposes,” said Atul.
Leonard Otika, the Lira City environment officer said Lira City has so far planted over 2500 trees under various projects Uganda Road Fund and Uganda Infrastructural ([USMID] in the last three years and some of them have been maintained while other tree seedlings dried off.
Otika said this will help Lira City achieve its target of multiplying trees that will reduce pollution such as carbon sink.
“This will help in the multiplication of trees within the city since many other trees have been planted for the last three years,” said Otika.
On their part, residents of Lira City appreciated the Sustainable Development Goals Champions for the tree planting project.
Grace Ojara, a businesswoman in the city said: “I appeal to them to always do tree planting so that our children and grandchildren can benefit.”
Meanwhile, Sarah Aol Dealoi the headteacher of Ilia Oyet Primary School advised other headteachers to help plant trees in their schools, saying the seedlings are affordable.
“As schools, we can also plant these trees, we should not wait for the government to bring trees. I am urging my fellow headteachers to plan for trees in our schools. They can act as windbreaks,” Aol said.
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