The Customs Officers’ Wives Association, COWA, Kebbi State chapter, has launched an ambitious tree-planting and waste management campaign aimed at strengthening environmental protection and promoting a cleaner, healthier ecosystem in the state.
Under the association’s Green Initiative, members of the Kebbi chapter joined a nationwide COWA effort to plant 1,000 trees across Nigeria. Kebbi is contributing 100 trees to the drive, focusing on public spaces around the Nigeria Customs Service Area Command and surrounding communities.
The Chairperson of COWA, Kebbi Command, said the exercise was designed to move environmental concerns from rhetoric to action, describing each sapling as an investment in the future.
“Today, we are not just planting trees; we are planting hope, sustainability, and a healthier future for our environment and our nation,” she said, urging participants to see the project as a long-term responsibility rather than a one-off event.
She stressed that the success of the initiative would depend on consistent care for the young trees. “Planting a tree is just the beginning. We must nurture and protect them so they can grow and benefit generations to come,” she added.
The chairperson credited the National President of COWA, Mrs Kikelomo Adeiniyi, with championing the Green Initiative and mobilising customs officers’ families nationwide to take ownership of environmental issues in their host communities.
Beyond tree planting, the Kebbi chapter donated 12 large dustbins to the Kebbi Area Command to improve waste disposal, with particular emphasis on plastic waste that often clogs drains and pollutes waterways. Watering containers were also provided to ensure the newly planted trees are adequately maintained.
Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Mahmoud Matawalle Ibrahim, commended the association for complementing government and institutional efforts to tackle environmental degradation. He pledged continued support from the command, noting that a clean and green environment contributes to public health, security, and economic activity.
The event drew senior customs officers, COWA members, and community stakeholders, who echoed the call for collective responsibility in safeguarding the environment. Participants highlighted tree planting as a practical response to climate change, desertification, and erosion, all of which affect livelihoods in northern Nigeria.
The COWA chairperson urged residents to adopt simple but consistent habits such as proper waste disposal, reducing plastic use, and protecting green spaces. “Together, we can make a difference. Together, we can build a greener and more sustainable Nigeria,” she said.
