Inkosi Ya Makosi Paramount Chief Gomani V of the Maseko Ngoni has called for commitment amongst people and stakeholders in the country towards achieving the goal of covering 4.5 million hectares of land with trees in Malawi.
Inkosi Gomani V who is the Malawi 2063 Champion of Environmental Sustainability, was speaking this on Friday in Ntcheu district where Standard Bank through its Unayo digital banking product handed over 20,000 tree seedlings to facilitate tree-planting exercises in Ntcheu and Dedza districts.
The Maseko Ngoni King said he will personally continue to championing the restoration of tree cover in the country so that Malawi regains its natural beauty and have improved rainfall as part of the realisation of the Malawi 2063 national vision.
He further pointed out that as part of his commitment on afforestation, he is this year set to plant over 20,000 trees in some parts of Ntcheu district and said the 20,000 tree seedlings which his district has shared with Dedza, will help in achieving his goal.
He then urged individuals, companies and organisations in the country to come together and complement government’s efforts on achieving the goal to plant trees covering 4.5 million hectares which he said should be considered as everyone’s responsibility.
“This is very important intervention because it will help us in the fight for better environment in Malawi and basically the world as whole. Trees help us in so many ways when it comes to building our houses and infrastructure and also protecting us from natural disasters.
“This is really very important and fitting in with our goals to go green throughout the districts and our areas and it is even fitting into the goals of Malawi of planting trees to fill 4.5 million hectares. This is a very big chunk of land, so we can’t do this alone, we need everyone to come in, the corporate world such as what Standard Bank is doing, government and also the communities, all of us should come together to make Malawi a greener place,” said Gomani V.
Responding to why the bank thought of making the donation, Standard Bank’s Head of Platform Business Effie Malange said the gesture is part of the bank’s commitment to sustaining the country’s future.
Malange said the bank has always remained committed to addressing issues affecting Malawians and that conserving the environment is among their core business saying its the foundation of a developed nation.
“This is really an auspicious occasion for Standard Bank. As you know, at Standard Bank we believe that you can not drive the growth of Malawi without sustainability and our donation of 20,000 trees, is part of our commitment to sustaining the future of Malawi,” said Malange.
She further added that Standard Bank being for all Malawians and everyone across the world, the gesture will be extended to the rest of the districts in Malawi.
Meanwhile, Ntcheu District Council chairperson, Councillor Morris Maziya and Dedza District Council Principal Administration Officer, Moses Jere, has assured the bank that they will make sure that the tree seedlings will be cared for and that many of them should survive.
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