By John Ikani
Nigeria and President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday took over the Presidency of the Great Green Wall Initiative in Africa for the next two years to vigorously pursue the 100 million tree-plantation that would combat climate change.
This was disclosed by Nigeria’s Minister of State for the Environment, Chief Sharon Ikeazor at the end of the 4th Ordinary Session of the Conference of Heads of State and Government (CHSG) of the Pan African Agency for the Great Green Wall held in Abuja on Thursday, 2nd December, 2021.
According to the Minister, “At the end of the 4th Ordinary Session of the CHSG, Nigeria took over the Presidency of the Pan Africa Agency of the Great Green Wall of the Sahel and Sahara Initiative (PAGGW).
“So for the next two years, Nigeria and President Buhari will be the President of the Great Green Wall Initiative in Africa.
“This means that within the period, Nigeria will work assiduously towards addressing the problems of land degradation, food security, desertification, Climate Change, depletion of the forest ecosystems and biodiversity in Africa, among others”.
The statement further reads in part, “the commitment of President Buhari when last month in Glasgow, Scotland at the Climate Change Summit (COP 26) Side Event on the Great Green Wall (GGW), where he expressed optimism about Africa’s ambition to restore over 100 million hectares of the degraded landscape for productive agriculture.
“It is instructive to note that in his acceptance speech of the PAGGW leadership, President Buhari stated that, ‘all things being equal, we shall strengthen our efforts in mobilisation of resources for the accelerated accomplishment of the Decennial Priority Investment Plan (DPIP) 2021-2030 and its concrete implementation action.’”
He stressed that the realization of financial pledges that emerged as an outcome of the “One Planet Summit” held on January 11, 2021, in Paris, France would be given utmost priority.
President Buhari was optimistic that he would ensure the “restoration of Africa degraded ecosystems and ensuring the resilience of our people against climate change effects shall be strengthened.”
