Green Wall Agency D-G Visits States To Generate Support For Desertification Control
By: Ahmed Aminu, Dutse
The Director-General of the National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW), Alhaji Saleh Abubakar, has begun advocacy visits to states to deepen collaboration in rolling back the desert and enhance sustainable land restoration.
Abubakar, who visited Jigawa state on Friday, said that the advocacy visit will cover all the 11 desert frontline states in the country.
He said that the agency was set up by the federal government to restore degraded lands and enhance climate resilience in the affected states.
The Director-General told of Jigawa state Commissioner for Environment and Climate Change, Dr Nura Ibrahim Kazaure that the intervention was to improve macro economic stability in the affected areas.
He added that the visit was focused on reinforcing collaboration, assessing ongoing interventions, and identifying new opportunities for sustainable land restoration under the Great Green Wall initiative.
According to him, the significance of Jigawa state as the premier state for the advocacy visit is due to the pre-existing relationship and partnership the Agency has with it.
“Our presence here is not just for advocacy but to thank the Jigawa State Government for giving the Agency a listening ear, and unending support through providing the land needed by the Agency for planting and land regeneration projects.”
Abubakar explained that the initiative to improve macro economic stability, human capital development and poverty reduction.
“NAGGW’s visit to Jigawa State is part of a broader outreach aimed at promoting collaborations, stakeholder engagement, and promoting positive environmental practices in the fight against desertification and land degradation.”
In his response, the commissioner acknowledged the relationship between NAGGW and the state government, and thanked the Agency for giving Jigawa the honour of being the first for the advocacy visit.
“Jigawa State Government is dedicated to working with the NAGGW towards achieving its mandates which also aligns with His Excellency Governor Umar Namadi’s 12 point Agenda,” Kazaure added.
He urged the Agency to take strategic action to curb vandalism of the Agency’s projects in communities through increased community engagements and further collaborations with the government.
The Syndicate reports that the delegation also visited Suleiman Farms to inspect the date palm seedlings being raised as part of the Agency’s initiative to plant 5 million date palm trees in the 11 frontline states.
