NAN-AE-6
Desertification
By Ebere Agozie
Abuja, May 4, 2017 (NAN) Mr Goni Ahmed, the Director-General, National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW) on Thursday solicited the support of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to tackle desertification.
Ahmed made the appeal when he paid a courtesy visit to the Director-General, National Youth Service Corps, Brig.-Gen. Suleman Kazaure in his office in Abuja.
He described the NYSC as a veritable tool in the fight against desertification since it had many corps members posted to the nooks and crannies of the country.
‘‘It’s not only about planting of trees but also about community-based involvement in protecting their local environments.
‘‘These corps members will help teach and encourage the people at the grassroots to plant and maintain the trees for sustainable development.
‘‘The environment has changed with the forests diminishing rapidly and rivers drying up while sand dunes have covered up the farmlands, which portends danger.’’
He said that the support was to look at how the agencies could collaborate to reach out to the people at the grassroots to sensitise them on the effects of desertification and the need to protect the environment.
‘’Desertification is a problem that has bedevilled the country, which brought on its wake decline in the biodiversity with ripple effects on economic productivity of the soil in the dry land areas.
‘’One of the consequences of desertification is the loss in the number of biodiversity as it causes the destruction and extinction of many plant and animal species.
‘‘In addition, the affected areas becomes useless to the inhabitant as there will be great reduction in agricultural production and exposure to risks of natural disasters like flooding.’’
Responding, Kazaure assured the agency of NYSC’s maximum support in the fight against land degradation and desertification.
‘‘If NAGGW can properly execute its mandate it will go a long way in combating climate change and enhance the environment.
‘‘I grew up in one of the areas where desertification is having negative effects.
‘‘So, I have a first class experience of what you are talking about and I assure you 100 per cent of the support of NYSC,’’ he said. (NAN)
EPA/MOL/GY
===========
Edited by Mustapha Lamidi/Grace Yussuf