ECCAI, Gogreen Environmental Health Sustainability Initiatives (GOEHSI) in collaboration with the Benue State Ministry of Water Resources, Environment and Climate Change officially flagged off the exercise in the LGA.
The aim of the project is to restore vital ecosystems, promote afforestation, and strengthen the fight against climate change in the region.
Executive Director of ECCAI, Victoria Esa, said the move towards restoring forest reserve cannot be overemphasized in the face of climate change, adding that there was the need for the community to take full ownership of the project to ensure its long-term sustainability.
Esa, argued that it may be only through community commitment and ongoing engagement, that the environmental benefits of the project could be sustained for future generations.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO), GOEHSI, Jackson Ameh, who was represented by Terfa Nyiutsa, reiterated that the project was more than just about planting trees.
He stressed that the Onyepa, Mile 4 Forest Reserve Restoration Project was also aimed at reviving a critical ecosystem that supports biodiversity and mitigates the adverse effects of climate change in the region.
Meanwhile, the representative of the Commissioner of Water resources, Environment and Climate Change, Kperaikyer Apir who is also the Chairman, Forest Association of Nigeria, Benue state chapter, stressed the need for continued collaboration between community members, local governments, and environmental organisations to protect the restored forest reserve and ensure that its benefits extend well into the future.
The traditional leader of the benefitting forest community, Clement Ogolekwu and spokesperson for the community, Anthony Oche, expressed gratitude to ECCAI and Gogreen for their leadership in tackling deforestation and promoting sustainable development.
They pledged their support to ensure the sustainability and preservation of the gains achieved from this initiative.