The Senator Representing Delta Central Senatorial District and a board
member of Nigerian Conservation Foundation, Senator Ede Dafionone, is set to deliver keynote address at this year’s Abuja Garden Festival.
According to the Facilitators of the event, which will hold on May 1 and 2, 2025,
Mrs. Eyamba Nzekwu, a Chartered Accountant and Mrs. Nana Gbolahan, the festival is a unique initiative aimed at promoting environmental sustainability, urban greening, and public awareness on the vital role of trees in our ecosystem.
According to them, the heat wave experienced in the Federal Capital Territory this year is as a result of tree felling over the years without replacement.
The facilitators said, “”We are a dynamic community of nature enthusiasts and forward-thinking entrepreneurs united by a shared commitment to environmental sustainability, based in Abuja. We seek to promote actionable climate solutions through advocacy, sustainable practices and eco – friendly initiatives to drive meaningful action to mitigate climate change”.
According to Mrs Nzekwu and Mrs Gbolahan, the Abuja Garden Festival is a unique initiative aimed at promoting environmental
sustainability, urban greening, and public awareness on the vital role of trees in our ecosystem.
The said, “As urban development expands, Abuja faces increasing heat and a worrying decline in green cover. Without trees and gardens to protect and cool our environment, we are encountering serious challenges.
To them, some of the challenges include:
Loss of plant, animal life and natural habitats.
Temperature increas, devastation by severe wind storms and flooding, disruption of natural water cycle and declining air quality.
They also said some of the consequences of tree felling also include, rising costs associated with disaster recovery and heat related damages, reduced agricultural productivity due to harsher conditions and loss of man hours due to ill health of workers.
“The Abuja Garden Festival is designed to raise awareness and drive practical action.
Through exhibitions, expert talks, workshops, and a showcase of local garden solutions.
“One of the key highlights of the event will be discussions on the importance of planting
trees, emphasizing how trees cool, detoxify the environment, improve air quality, and
protect homes and communities during severe rainstorms, serving as natural
windbreakers and erosion controllers.
“The environmental situation we have found ourselves demands collective action as a
people. We seek to encourage everyone to understand why they need to plant trees
and to encourage this “Climate Action”, Abuja Garden Festival will be giving out free
tree seedlings to participants and schools”, they said.
