AfricaPress-Tanzania: SPEAKER of the National Assembly Job Ndugai has hailed initiatives employed by Serengeti Breweries Limited (SBL) for its contribution in transforming Kongwa into an evergreen town among other areas of the country.
Speaking yesterday at a special occasion for planting trees in Kongwa town the headquarters of Kongwa District, Ndugai said SBL has for years now set an example to the private sector by leading not only in giving back to the general public through contributions to economic development related issues but also environmental conservation for future generations.
“Since the relocation of the central government’s activities to Dodoma there have been a lot of initiatives from the private sector dedicated to social and economic matters. But to make Dodoma more attractive in the eyes of everyone visiting here we have no other option rather than environmental conservation which planting of trees is part of it,” said Ndugai.
The Speaker decried human activities that perpetuate deforestation believed to have posed environmental challenges such as poor food production, water availability and harassment to wildlife.
The tree planting initiative is being organized by SBL in collaboration with Kongwa District Council and a Dodoma-based NGO—Habari Development Association (HAD). The company is in a view that planting of trees would help in bringing natural ventilation to the semi-arid climate of the region.
SBL Managing Director Mark Ocitti said the initiative is part of an ongoing environmental conservation as it plans to plant thousands of trees in various parts of the country.
“SBL considers trees as an essential part of the ecosystem. Trees provide habitat for terrestrial biodiversity, absorb harmful carbon from the atmosphere and are useful for medicinal purposes;
Our business and the community at large are part and parcel of this ecosystem which makes it a shared responsibility by all of us to conserve and protect the environment,” said Ocitti.
The tree planting initiative by SBL comes at a time when there are worldwide concerted efforts to limit greenhouse gas emissions to combat climate change and guarantee a safe and protected environment for future generations.
