The National Agency for the Great Green Wall has restated its commitment towards improving the lives of people in communities adversely affected by desertification and land degradation caused by climate change.
This was made known by the Director-General of the Agency, Dr Yusuf Maina-Bukar at the North-East Stakeholders’ Forum on Monday in Kano.
The forum was themed, ‘Building Multi-Stakeholders Responsiveness in the Implementation of the Great Green Wall Programme in Nigeria’.
Maina-Bukar said the agency would also adopt effective measures to counter the effects of desertification, protect natural resources and secure a brighter future for generations to come.
He explained that the agency has the core mandates to combat land degradation, and desertification and improve the resilience of affected communities to the impact of climate change.
Represented by Safiyanu Yabala, Director of Resource Mobilisation of the agency, Maina-Bukar said that this reflected the commitment toward fostering synergy and upscaling activities within multi-level sectors and indigenous stakeholders.
He said, “The vision of the Great Green Wall is to create a sustainable and productive landscape that not only restores degraded lands but also promotes community development, biodiversity conservation, and resilience against climate change.
“The programme is not simply an ambitious project; it is Nigeria’s response to an urgent environmental and socio-economic crisis.
“Over the last few decades, the encroachment of the desert has had a devastating impact on our communities, threatening the livelihoods of millions and exacerbating existing conflicts.”
He implored indigenous stakeholders to actively participate in shaping the future of a greener environment and communities.
According to him, the voices and perspectives are of utmost importance as they seek to implement programmes that are not only effective but also responsive to the needs and aspirations of the people.
Maina-Bukar noted that traditional knowledge and cultural heritage were instrumental in guiding the actions toward sustainable land management and long-term resilience.
He added, “Let today’s National Stakeholders Forum be a catalyst for heightened collaboration, increased synergy, and scaling-up of activities across the eleven frontline states.
“Together, we can build a resilient and productive landscape that will benefit both current and future generations.
“I have full confidence that, by working hand in hand, we will achieve our goals and make a lasting difference in the lives of our people.”
The representative of the Gombe State Government, Mr Muhammad Faw, said that the state governor, Inuwa Yahaya, had signed a N12bn contract to address gully erosion, safeguard lives and preserve the environment.
The project, he said, was a step forward in the state’s collective resolve to restore the agricultural and environmental landscapes ravaged by gully erosion and environmental degradation.
He restated the governor’s commitment to environmental sustainability through the Gombe Goes Green (3G) project, which was launched in 2019, and aimed at combating desertification, deforestation, and soil erosion through an annual tree-planting campaign.
The Director, Policy Planning and Coordination of the agency, Hajiya Habiba Lau, said the event was critical for the agency in the life span of its activities across the nation.
She explained that the core of the Nigerian component of the GGW initiative is to reverse desertification, and land degradation, and mitigate the effects of climate change.
The director urged the participants to come up with ways the agency would use to promote development at the grassroots level.
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic, Federal University, Dutse, Prof. Nura Sani, in his presentation, urged the participants to explore ideas and share knowledge on how to combat desertification and land degradation to mitigate climate change.
He commended the agency for engaging the University, community and development organisations in the GGW project and also lauded the state government’s tree-planting campaign.
