By Miriam Humbe
Minister of State for the Environment, Dr. Iziaq Salako on Thursday, tasked the Pan-African Agency of the Great Green Wall, (PAGGW) to harness the power of collaboration in order to navigate the challenges of Climate Change and provide solutions to the opportunities that lie ahead.
Salako was speaking at the 9th ordinary session of the council of ministers and the meeting of technical committee of experts in Abuja.
The Minister said: “It is through this crucible collaborative that breakthroughs emerge, and it is in the crucible of shared knowledge that progress is forged”.
“This meeting is a testament to our commitment to fostering an environment where ideas can flourish, and knowledge can be shared without boundaries.
“The diversity of expertise present in this room is a reflection of the interconnected nature of our global community.
“In our pursuit of technical excellence, we must recognize that our collective strength lies in our ability to learn from one another, to draw inspiration from diverse perspectives, and to work collaboratively towards common goals.
“Nigeria has presided over this Committee since 2022.
“This support no doubt has helped in moving us closer to achieving the goals and objectives of the Great Green Wall for the Sahara and Sahel Initiative”.
“In the realm of technology and expertise, we find ourselves at the crossroads of higher possibilities and greater responsibilities.
“Our world is evolving at an unprecedented pace with the major crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution threatening man’s continuous existence on planet earth. It is through forums that we bring relevant solutions.”
He told the expert that: “As experts in the fields of Forestry, land restoration, conservation and allied specialities, the council of ministers of the Pan Africa Agency of the Great Green Wall will be relying heavily on your expert recommendations to guide their decisions”.
Director General/CEO of the National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW), Dr. Yusuf Maina-Bukar, said that the commitment to addressing the impact of emerging Climate Change risks within and near the Great Green Wall corridor implied that efforts must be geared towards effective implementation of the Great Green Wall Initiative, (GGWI) at regional and national levels.
On the haze storms in the North, the Director General said the Agency was doing exactly what it was created to do.
He said: “We have planted trees in the 11frontline state. Other states have shown interest and we beginning to look at them.
“Those States over Benue/Niger such as Kwara, Plateau, Taraba, Benue, Nassarawa among other states.
“Other state in the part of the country have also shown interest also”.
Executive Secretary of PAGGW, Ibrahim Said, said that the Green Wall required a well-oiled mechanism for the active participation of all the stakeholders concerned.
Said said: “There can be no good results on the ground without the participation of all sectors and all players.”
Meanwhile, the Global Mechanism-UNNCD, Ms. Louise Bakar commended that PAGGW have a good vision for the future and appreciated their commitment towards Climate Change
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