The Federal Capital Territory will soon come out with a policy that will make tree planting a condition for the approval of a building plan in the territory.

Alhaji Isa Shaaibu, FCDA‘s Director, Parks and Recreation, disclosed this last week in Abuja in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria.

He said that the policy would be strictly enforced in the territory, adding that tree planting was a priority in the agenda of the FCT Administration.

He said that the Abuja Environmental Protection Board would soon take measures to enforce the law on the illegal felling of trees in the territory.

"The FCT Minister has vowed to enforce the law relating to the illegal felling of trees in the FCT," he said.

Shuaibu, therefore, warned those engaged in the illegal felling of trees within the territory to desist from it or be prepared to face the full wrath of the law.

Besides, he said that about 1,000 tree seedlings would soon be distributed across the territory‘s six area councils as part of efforts to promote tree planting.

"The minister has also directed us to organise programmes that will sensitise the people to the importance of tree planting," he said.

He revealed that the FCTA would soon organise competitions among the territory’s schools on tree planting.

The director said that the administration was taking the measures because of its consciousness of the adverse effects of climate change on the environment and the need to sustain the environment.

"This is one of the reasons behind the formation of the Abuja Green Society," he said.

"That is why many areas have been mapped out as green areas and stream valleys and we intend to plant more trees in those areas," he added.

Shuaibu, however, appealed to the diplomatic community in Abuja to support the FCTA’s efforts to achieve the objectives of the tree planting programme.

He said that the FCT would also encourage visitors to Abuja to plant at least one tree.

He, nonetheless, commended the ECOWAS Secretariat for collaborating with the FCTA in the tree planting campaign, adding that the states should emulate the FCT in the programme.

"By so doing, our environment will be secured from the dangers inherent in climate change which have now become a global concern," he said.