The Director-General of the National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW), Saleh Abubakar, says the agency has intensified efforts to combat desertification and land degradation across Nigeria’s frontline states.
Abubakar stated this during a working visit to the Kano State Commissioner for Environment and Climate Change, Dr Dahiru Hashim, in Kano.
He said the agency was set to commence its annual tree planting programme in July and sought the support of the state government in providing suitable plantation sites.
The NAGGW boss decried the rising cases of vandalism at some of the agency’s plantation sites in Gabasawa area of the state, and urged the government to step up efforts to address the challenge.
According to him, the agency plans to distribute five million seedlings in 2025 and needs secure sites free from encroachment and destruction.
The DG also stressed the need for collaborations with local communities, adding that women and youth groups were being trained and empowered to participate in the Great Green Wall project.
He called for greater public support and awareness, stressing that environmental challenges require collective responsibility.
He also urged the state government to engage in dialogue over vandalised assets to reach an amicable solution.
“This visit is not only for familiarization but also to follow up on our earlier communications and strengthen collaboration with the state government,” he said.
He assured that the agency was committed to working with the state to address desertification and provide sustainable livelihood opportunities for rural communities.
Responding, Dr Hashim reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to supporting the agency in its efforts to mitigate the effects of desertification.
The commissioner also reiterated the state government’s commitment to partnering with relevant agencies in the fight against desert encroachment.
According to him, the state had restored over 37,000 hectares of degraded land.
Hashim also disclosed that the state had approved the recruitment of additional forest guards to enhance security at seedling plantation sites.
In his remarks, the Acting State Project Coordinator of the Kano Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (Kano-ACReSAL) Project, Mr Abdulhamid Bala, identified the non-payment of forest guards as a key factor contributing to the vandalism of plantations.
He also said that delays in planting seedlings on allocated sites had led to encroachment by farmers, and urged the agency on the need to ensure timely release of funds to address the issue.
NAN
