Research Institutes in Nigeria have been challenged to go into the production of Direct Air Capture equipment, designed to mimic photosynthesis, to directly capture carbon dioxide in the air and reduce footprint.
The President, Engr. Chief Chukwuemeka Chukwurah Green Energy Foundation (ECCCGEF), Engr. Chief C. C. Chukwurah FNSE, FNIM, KSM made the call during the development of an orchard of 21 economic trees in the premises of St. John Bosco Catholic Church , Asaba.
Engr. Chief C. C. Chukwurah, in another intervention on Asaba ,used the opportunity of the Conference of Nigeria Catholic Diocesan Priests holding in Asaba to develop another orchard of 40 economic trees orchard in the premises of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, West End, Asaba. He reiterated that the call had become necessary because addressing issues of climate change should go beyond tree planting to scientific and engineering solutions.
He said the United State of America had recorded Carbon Engineering breakthroughs in that regard, while China and Nigeria needed to be stimulated to follow suit to popularize the Direct Air Capture devices.
The ECCCGEF President revealed that he would, on 21st November, be addressing the annual conference of the Nigerian Institute of Procurement Engineers (NIProcE), a division of Nigeria Society of Engineers on ” *Sustainable Public Procurement for Climate Change and Disaster Reduction Project in Nigeria”* . He stressed the need for the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to factor in the essentials of climate change mitigation actions and disaster risk management regularly in their budgets
Engr. Chief C. C. Chukwurah said the development of the St. John Bosco Catholic Church orchard was a consummation of the request of the Parish Priest of the Church, pointing out that more parishes of the Catholic and other Churches would be considered in due course
He expressed delight that the Catholic Pontiff, Pope Francis, had proclaimed the renewal of the earth as the 8th corporeal and spiritual works of mercy. He stressed that tree planting remained a sure way of producing fruits and oxygen for humanity and reducing carbon dioxide in the air.
The Osowa Owelle of Asaba maintained that though man had dominion over plants and animals, these vital constituents of the biosphere must be nurtured and tracked to live symbiotically because human life was largely dependent on them.
In an interview shortly after planting one of the trees, on Tuesday 22nd October 2024 at St. Patrick Catholic Church West End Asaba, the Bishop of the Issele-Uku Diocese, Most Rev. Michael Elue, said climate change had become a global topical issue in view of its devastating effects on the environment.
Bishop Elue commended Engr. Chief Chukwurah for devoting his time, energy and resources to championing the cause of green energy through tree planting, while also advocating scientific and engineering solutions to climate change .
The Bishop urged the ECCCGEF President to extend the orchard development initiative to other parishes in the Diocese.
Also speaking earlier on Saturday 19th October, 2024, the Parish Priest of St. John Bosco Catholic Church, Asaba, Very Rev. Fr. Leonard Biachi, said he was moved to request for the development of the orchard following the awareness ECCCGEF had created on the importance of trees to the mitigation of climate change.
Rev. Fr. Leo Biachi commended Engr. Chief C. C. Chukwurah for his efforts to add value to the environment and help renew the mother earth, promising to track and nurture the orchard to fruition.
Trees planted by the ECCCGEF President, Bishop Michael Elue, some priests from across the dioceses in the country, members of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation and Rev. Fr. Leo Biachi, among others, included Mangos, Oranges, Avocado pear, Native Pears, Shawashop and Bitter kola.
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