ABUJA – Mr Rolan Ologun, Director, FCT Parks and Recreation, on Friday called on estate developers to include greeneries in their architectural plans. Ologun made the call when some estate developers visited him in Abuja. Represented by Mr Shehu Lawal, a Deputy Director in the department said it was important to maintain the green areas for the comfort and health benefits of residents. “We would appreciate it if we can have your drawings so that we can ensure that there is adequate provision for green areas in your estates. “We observe that some estate developers do not make provisions for space to plant trees and other greens and this should not be so. “Roads and walkways within estates and residential areas are supposed to be adorned with trees and greeneries and this will ultimately improve the aesthetic look of Abuja’’, he said. He said the department had set up a unit to enforce maintenance of green areas within the city. “We observe that there are some people who cut down trees indiscriminately and we have set up a unit called Green Code to check this trend. “Members of staff in the Green Code unit go round to ensure that residents do not fell trees illegally.’’ He said trees had right of way which should be respected by all residents. “Once these trees are felled, we might not be able to get such species again, that is why we call on mass housing developers to provide conservation areas. “This would provide enough oxygen to cool the environment in the immediate and adjoining communities’’, he said. Mrs Debora Nenchi, Assistant Director in the Parks and Recreation Department said that tree planting was in the overall interest of all residents. She stressed that the health and aesthetic benefits of green areas in a residential estate were enormous. “Planting of trees is required for air conditioning and cooling and we are building these estates for people who need to reside in healthy conditions. She advised developers not to encroach on areas provided for greeneries to avoid future environmental challenges “The purpose of this interaction is to implore the developers, as partners in progress, to adopt world standard in city
development by ensuring that the city is planted with green. “Northern Nigeria, including Abuja, has a high temperature and maintaining the green areas in the city would go a long way to
regulate this weather’’, she said.
A developer, Mr Celestine Ogui, commended efforts by the department to maintain adequate green reserves in Abuja and pledged their support to the initiative.
He advised the department to stop some agencies, as Power Holding Company of Nigeria, which cut down trees indiscriminately. (NAN)