Yola – The Adamawa Government says the activities of Boko Haram insurgents has stalled the National Great Green Wall Project in the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the project was designed by the Federal Government to combat desertification over a 1,500-km from Kebbi to Borno State.
Mr. Barnabas Pata, the Permanent Secretary, in the state Ministry of Environment, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Yola on Thursday.
Pata said that the project was located in six communities in three local government areas of the state.
They are Vintim and Muchalah in Mubi North local local government area; Moda and Tudun Wada of Bazza District in Michika local government area as well as Gulak and Waga communities in Madagali local government area.
According to the permanent secretary, the project was established in the late 2013 and it covered over 76 kms hectares of trees and orchards.
“The project was established in the late 2013 and due to inadequate water supply, the seedlings could not survive.
“In 2014, in order to address the situation, six boreholes were sunk in each project site.
“Unfortunately, in September the same year, Boko Haram invaded the whole communities and destroyed the entire orchards.”
He said that the insurgent invasion had damaged the project sites, seriously affecting the performance of the project in the state.
Pata said now that the insurgents had been flushed out from the areas, the Federal Government had resolved to replant the areas destroyed.
He further said that the project had been expanded in 2015 to cover additional three local government areas of Guyuk, Hong and Song local government areas.
“We plan to establish additional 60 hectares of orchards and trees in three more local government areas.
“Already, contract has been awarded for the raising of 236,000 tree seedlings for the project.” Pata added.
The permanent secretary said that 29 forest guards had been recruited to protect the shelterbelt.
Pata identified lack of community awareness and sensitisation as among the major problems affecting the smooth implementation of the project in the state. (NAN)
