By Nneka Nwogwugwu
Dangote Cement Company has called upon residents living around the plant to stop felling trees haphazardly, urging them to plant more trees to protect the environment as well as water sources.
Earlier, while celebrating the Week of the Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations, the company planted 1,000 trees in Mbuo Village and at Dunstan Kyobya Primary School in Hiari Village, both located in Mtwara Rural District.
Dangote Cement Company Plant director and acting CEO Annadurai Appavoo said they also managed to plant 1,000 trees around and outside the plant as part of sensitization programme to the community to protect the environment.
However, he said environmental destruction normally compels society to come together and take measures that can protect the environment including planting trees and joining the UN in implementing three sustainable development goals of the UN.
“There are some habits that have seemingly now become a tradition as you may see some people fell trees without planting new ones and that’s why we have been providing education to society to understand that when one tree is felled, we have to plant five trees,” he said.
Mr Appavoo said as quoted by the Citizen: ‘’This is why today we are planting 1,000 trees with the aim of mobilizing villagers living around us in order for them to overcome the effects of Climate Change for the betterment of the present and future generations.’’
The company’s public communications manager, Ms Rachael Singo, said their aim of planting the trees is to support the government’s efforts in protecting the environment.
“We want society to understand that trees are part of our lives as they do also work to bring good weather. So, we do also plant trees with the aim of implementing the UN goals as the trees will be helpful for our present and future generations,” said Ms Singo.
Mbuo Village Chairman Abdilah Lingwenya said planting trees at a water sources is one of the moves that could encourage the community to protecting the environment in the area.
“The planting of trees will help protect the water sources that we have. But it is also important to note that the habit of felling trees haphazardly will increase in widespread environmental destruction that poses danger to organisms, including human beings,” he said.