Dr. Yusuf Bukar, Director-General of the National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW), reported that a total of 45,251,179 various tree seedlings have been planted and nurtured for afforestation across Nigeria’s affected states.
Speaking at an interactive session with members of the House of Representatives Committee on Ecological Fund in Abuja, Bukar disclosed that 10,813,733 tree seedlings had been distributed to farmers for agroforestry purposes, while 14,118 degraded landscapes had been rehabilitated through various plantation models.
Additionally, the agency has procured and distributed 4,455 solar home lighting systems, 3,102 solar street lights, and 6,300 super saver wooden stoves to rural communities to discourage tree logging. Furthermore, 128 solar-powered pumps with trolleys have been installed for irrigation, alongside 430 solar-powered and motorized boreholes constructed across 11 frontline states. The agency has also established five skill acquisition centers and 71 community plant nurseries. Moreover, 1,397 youths have been trained as forest guards, with 85 motorcycles provided for patrolling.
To empower women and youth, 205 grinding machines have been distributed, and over 210,709 youths engaged in direct tree planting activities. Additionally, 2,283 rural community members and 275 farmers have received training in off-land livelihood activities and climate-smart agriculture, respectively. The agency has installed two Automatic Weather Stations for field data collection and established an effective monitoring and evaluation system. Chairman of the House Committee, Hon. Sani Jaji, emphasized the committee’s commitment to overseeing the agency’s activities effectively, responding to public complaints, and ensuring constitutional responsibilities are fulfilled.
