The federal government has approved $8.5 million under the Presidential Initiative on Afforestation for the afforestation and restoration of degraded forests and other critical landscapes across the country.
President Bola Tinubu disclosed this at the first international conference on afforestation and reforestation which took place in Brazzaville, Congo from July 2nd – 5th, 2024.
Tinubu, who was represented by Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal said the presidential approval is in addition to other similar programmes like the Great Green Wall Pan African Program and Agro-Climatic Resilience Semi-Arid Landscape (ACReSAL) being implemented and have resulted in the restoration of over 1.5 million hectares of degraded forests.
He also said over 1,428.9km of Shelterbelts covering 4,286 hectares have been established.
The president said more than 200,000 forest community members have been empowered and more than 3 million jobs created for the youths.
He stated: “Nigeria has gone a long way and we are making progress in contributing to the reversal of forest cover loss through sustainable forest management and massive afforestation.
“As part of our determination to upscale forest financing and increase forest cover, the government has recently approved the sum of 8.5 million US Dollars under the Presidential Initiative on Afforestation. These funds are mainly for the afforestation and restoration of degraded forests and other critical landscapes across the country.
“This is in addition to other similar programmes like the Great Green Wall Pan African Program and Agro-Climatic Resilience Semi-Arid Landscape (ACReSAL) being implemented resulting in the restoration of over 1.5 million hectares of degraded forests including the establishment of over 1,428.9km Shelterbelts covering 4,286 hectares, empowerment of more than 200,000 forest community members and creation of more than 3 million jobs for our youths.”
The president also said relevant policy and legislative framework are being strengthened in response to the current and emerging circumstances we are faced with.
“We have recently placed an interim suspension on the export of wood-based products to enable adequate appraisal of the process and ultimately emplacement of a sustainable forest management trade complaint system without jeopardising progress in the implementation of the UNSPF, NDC, and other global agreements,” the president said.
Tinubu restated Nigeria’s commitment to global, regional, and sub-regional consensus to promote and accelerate progress on sustainable forest management.
He added: “This includes the COP27 Africa and Global Decade of Afforestation and Reforestation and COP26 Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests and Land Use as well as, other key outcomes of COP28.
“As parties to the globally agreed goals and targets on forests, biodiversity, climate change, and SDGs, we have no choice but to do all within our powers to accelerate transformative delivery of these goals within the set timelines.
“Restoration of our forest should not only be the responsibility of governments alone. It must be the collective effort of Government, Non-government organizations, corporate/private organisations, civil societies, and communities.
“We should all strive to achieve the common goal of increasing global forest cover.”
Source: Nation Newspaper
