Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has unveiled a plan to plant 10,000 economic trees across communities in Kogi Central as part of efforts to tackle climate change, restore degraded land and create sustainable sources of income for residents. The initiative, tagged “Growing Kogi Central, Building Our Future,” was launched on Monday.
Gatekeepers News reports that the senator said the project will involve the planting of economically valuable tree species, including mango, guava, orange, moringa, neem and other indigenous varieties.
According to her, the programme is designed to combat soil erosion, improve biodiversity, strengthen food security and provide long-term economic benefits for households across the district.
Akpoti-Uduaghan described the initiative as an investment in the future of Kogi Central, saying it aligns with global climate action efforts under the United Nations climate framework by promoting ecosystem restoration and carbon sequestration through nature-based solutions. She added that the choice of economic trees was deliberate because they offer both environmental protection and commercial value.
She noted that the effects of climate change are already evident through rising temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, erosion and declining agricultural productivity, stressing that local communities must play an active role in reversing the trend. The lawmaker called on traditional rulers, women, youths, schools, farmers and civil society organisations to nurture the trees after planting to ensure the project’s long-term success.
The tree-planting programme comes shortly after the senator commissioned a free campus-wide Wi-Fi facility at the Federal College of Education, Okene, another constituency project aimed at improving digital access and educational opportunities for students in Kogi Central.
