(http://fmi.gov.ng/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/nigerian-coat-of-arms-logo-532-300x281.png) Vice President Namadi Sambo has stated that the Great Green Wall initiative is a peoples' oriented, community project that will cater for the well-being of the communities involved.
Speaking at the second meeting of the National Council on Shelterbelt and Afforestation in the State House, Abuja , Sambo said it is a collective and global project which Mr. President is keen about its success and he will personally inspect the progress in the affected states.
He noted that the programme "is not just planting trees to stop deforestation and desertification, it has to do with the whole eco-system in which water, plant, animal and others would be given attention."
On the issue of funding, Sambo said that N10 billion has been approved by the Federal Government for the Great Green Wall project. He said, from the said amount N3.3 billion is to be used for 2013 work plan. He added that African Development Bank (ADB) and Islamic Development Bank (IDB) are in support of the project.
After scrutinizing the roadmap and the work plan of the project, the Council noted that there should also be a plan for sustainability of the project and community involvement. It also observed that young people and school children should be sensitized on the need to plant trees.
In her briefing, the Minister of Environment, Hajiya Hadiza Ibrahim Mailafia, said some of the things in the work plan include capacity building, upgrading of training facilities, site identification and delineation, environmental impact assessment studies, land preparation, planting and nurturing, provision of support to communities to raise seedlings and procurement from the private sector.
She said 11 states are involved and at the moment, some of the states have already started. "States, such as Jigawa, Katsina and Kebbi States have started and there is a need to build capacities in these states." She said more sensitization and participation of communities are needed. She also solicited the participation of the media to create awareness among the people.
Via: Federal Ministry of Information (FMI) Nigeria
There are so many projects that are still incomplete till now. Federal Government should try as much as possible to look into them.