Jigawa State Governor, Mallam Umar Namadi, has promised stronger partnership with the National Great Green Wall (NAGGW) in order to tackle the environmental challenges facing the state.
According to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Hamisu Mohammed Gumel on Wednesday, he made the remark when he visited the headquarters of the National Agency for the Great Green Wall.
He expressed his appreciation and commended the agency for its remarkable efforts in addressing various environmental challenges facing the country, including climate change, desertification, and deforestation.
He emphasized that Jigawa State is one of the 11 frontline states directly impacted by the challenges as such, it needs a more robust partnership and cooperation with the agency.
The Governor urged the agency to help the state to plant more economic trees to combat desertification, support the promotion of dry land agriculture to strengthen food security and boost the rural economy through the provision of solar and motorized boreholes for dry season farming.
He also called on the agency to help train youths and women in various livelihood activities, provide training for farmers in climate-smart agriculture techniques and skills, as well as water irrigation technologies such as water boxes, consider Jigawa State as a site for manufacturing water box and assist the State in establishing shelterbelts, which aligns with government’s campaign promises.
The Governor further highlighted the importance of addressing the issue of access to clean water in certain areas of the state.
He lamented that drilling wells in most part of the state is a great challenge adding that water sources are located approximately 90 meters below the surface.
He therefore stressed the need for alternative solutions to provide good water in these areas.
The governor said by working together, Jigawa State and the National Agency for the Great Green Wall can make significant progress in environmental conservation, sustainable agriculture, and the overall well-being of the state’s citizens.
Responding, the Director General, NAGGW, Dr. Maina Bukar, thanked Governor Namadi for the visit and said that Jigawa was one of the agency’s priority states in terms of intervention, especially because of the flooding disaster that recently affected the state.
He said that his agency will render expert advice and technical assistance in the critical areas mentioned by the governor.
