The Minister of Environment, Hon. Sharon Ikeazor has called on the private sector to collaborate with the Federal Government to fight desertification and desert encroachment in the country. She made this call in her office when she hosted a delegation of Association of Flower Nurseries and Landscaping Practitioners (AFNALPA) who came to brief her on programs for their 10th anniversary which is billed to commence in March 2022.

The Minister welcomed the AFNALPA team warmly, stating that her interest in the association was because of her love for landscaping and conservation of ecosystem and she went ahead to introduce members of her team present at the meeting which included, the Director of Forestry, Mr. Adekola Kolawole. She stated that the issues on the environment have been relegated to the back seat of national discourse but it is however a very critical issue in the nations’ political-economy as witnessed with recent challenges with farmers and herders in the country. She added that President Muhammadu Buhari places much priority on issues concerning the environment and late last year at COP 26 in Glasgow, made serious commitments to the international community on achieving set targets.

It would be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari stated that Africa’s ambition of restoring over 100 million hectares of degraded landscape for productive agriculture is achievable. He further stated that, “together we commit to the transformative process of restoring the African degraded landscape and ultimately the continent’s environment.”

This commitment included Mr. President’s resolve in tackling the five cardinal pillars including the restoration of 100 million hectares of degraded land; sequestration of 250 million tonnes of carbon; creation of 10 million green jobs; resilient economic development in the various Member States; and capacity building and development.

According to the Minister, her recent tour of some parts of Northern Nigeria made her realize the grievous challenges facing the country; “Initially when we drove over some bridges in some parts of Northern Nigeria, I wondered why bridges were constructed over dry land until it dawned on me that when these bridges were constructed, there were rivers flowing through them but they have now disappeared due to climate change and desertification, this is very worrisome” she added.

The Minister of Environment thanked AFNALPA for coming up with programmes to support the activities of government. She commended the initiatives of the tree planting campaign to fight desert encroachment and the Abuja Horticulture Village project. She promised that the Ministry of Environment would partner with AFNALPA to interface with the FCTA to ensure that this noble vision is actualized. She stated that the Ministry will also provide technical support and other assistance to the association to ensure the success of these programmes.

While thanking the Minister for the warm reception, the President of AFNALPA, Mrs. Mary Omoh stated that her organization has over 1,500 members spread across the country with parks and gardens across the FCT and other states. She commended the brilliant outing of President Buhari and the Federal Government delegation at COP 26 in Glasgow where commitments where made by the President to restore Africa’s depleted Farm lands under the re-desertification project of the United Nation’s Great Green Wall Commission.

Mrs Omoh stated that they are primed to support the government in achieving the target of planting 10 million trees across the Great Green Wall belt saying that with their existing parks, they are ready and able to commence cultivation of One Million trees immediately. She added that the proposed Abuja Horticulture Village will serve as a centralized nursery for ten million trees and plants in one location but needed the support of the Ministry of Environment for these programmes to succeed.

A member and Principal Consultant to AFNALPA Mr. Ono K. Akpe, briefed the Minister and her key directors on the Associations’ plans stating that Hajiya Amina J. Mohammed, the United Nations’ Deputy Secretary-General and former Minister of Environment has been invited to deliver a paper on The Great Green Wall: A panacea for peace and economic development in Sub Saharan Africa”, while the Minister is also expected to deliver a Keynote paper on the occasion.

He also stated that at the event, THE ECOSYSTEM CONSERVATION AWARD shall also be presented to Nigerians who have excelled in various fields of Environmental management.

Mr. Akpe added that in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, they would commence a pilot scheme of planting 10 million trees tagged “Plant a Tree, Save a Life”, in support of President Buhari’s commitment at COP 26 in one of the states adversely affected by desertification and afforestation. He stated that Yobe, Kastina or Bornu States would be probable centers for the pilot program.

The association would round up her 10th anniversary celebrations with a launch of the proposed 200 hectare Abuja Horticulture Village; this flagship project is a multi-dimensional Eco resort specially designed to impact massively on the eco-system. Our vision for a 200 hectares Abuja Horticulture Village will house a 10 million tree nursery amongst others, he concluded.

Another Member and a consultant of AFNALPA, ESV. Precious Vivian Eli-Shama (ANIVS, RSV), thanked the Minister for granting them audience and assured her that the association would work diligently to achieve their set targets. She stated that with this brief engagement with the Minister, they were impressed with the depth of knowledge and insight the Minister had on the issues and were confident that the Ministry would provide very sound technical and professional support to ensure the success of the programmes.

Also, present at the meeting was the Chairman of AFNALPA’s Organizing committee, Alh. Yusuff Ismaila, and other key staff of the Ministry.

•PHOTO: L-R; Alhaji Yussuff Ismaila Chairman AFNALPA Organising Committee; ESV Precious Vivian Eli-Shama Consultant; Barrister Sharon Ikeazor, Hon Minister of Environment; Mrs Mary Omoh, President AFNALPA, Ono K. Akpe, Principal Partner, Red Sapphire Ltd.

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