Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri Monday launches Adamawa Green Project GAP of planting four million trees in four years as part of activities to mark twenty nineteen World Desertification Day, Native Reporters has learnt.
The event which took place at the Banquet Hall of the Government House, Yola was organised by the Ministry of Environment in collaboration with the Environmental Care Foundation ECF.
This year’s event with the theme ‘Let’s Grow the Future’ was set aside by the United Nations annually to commemorate world desertification day with a view to addressing problems related to land degradation and drought.
In his remark, Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri called for concerted effort by all and sundry to make the state succeed in combating the ugly menace of desertification in Adamawa.
The Governor recalled that the state government in conjunction with the Great Green Wall Programme, a Pan African Organization was launched by African Union in twenty fifteen to cushion the effects of desertification in seven local government areas of the state.
He assured the citizenry that his administration is always ready to support all environmental programmes especially afforestation for the development of Adamawa.
Earlier in her welcome address, the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Environment Hajiya Aisha Umar revealed that the northern part of Adamawa is the worst affected by desertification in the state.
Hajiya Umar enumerated excessive overgrazing, uncontrolled bush burning and indiscriminate felling of trees for fire wood and construction purposes as major problems of desertification in the state.
She advocated for afforestation, management of natural resources and discouraging bush burning among other measures to combat the menace of desertification and drought in Adamawa.
During the event there were goodwill messages by the State Commandant National Community Ethics and Value Environmental Corps Mr Zimron Zidon Mijah and Representative of National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency NESRIA Mr. Mohammad Salihu Yahaya.
Highlight of the event was tree planting exercise by Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, Deputy Governor Crowther Seth, Secretary to the State Government Bashir Ahmad and Chief of Government House, Yola Professor Maxwell Gidado among others.
