FG Takes Measures To Combat Sand, Dust Storms In Nigeria
By Juliet Ukanwosu
The Minister of State for Environment, Dr. Iziaq Salako has assured Nigerians that government will provide necessary support to combat Sand and Dust Storm (SDS) in the country.
Dr. Salako gave the assurance during the commemoration of the 2024 World International Day for Combating SDS recently in Abuja.
According to the minister, SDS lead to the removal of fertile top soil which results to loss of farm land and crops thereby threatening food production, devastation of the economy, human health and the society at large.
The minister listed governments efforts aimed combating SDS to include the establishment of the National Agency for Great Green Wall (NGGW), Agro- Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL), Presidential Initiative on Climate change and creation of 24 forest greening communities covering 240 hectares of land in 24 Local Government Areas in the county.
Speaking further, he assured that President Bola Tinubu’s Green Heroes Project will be implemented using youths and retirees.
Salako also reiterated government’s plan to collaborate with UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), to share knowledge, technologies and resources to mitigate the impacts of SDS.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mahmud Kambari, who was represented by Mabel Emmanuel, Director, Desertification, Land Degradation and Drought Department in the Ministry, stated that Nigeria finds itself in closed proximity to the Sahara, where the North Eastern winds carries the dust all the way to the Atlantic Ocean.
While noting that the UN has taken this global threat seriously, she added that in recognition of the threat, the UNGA passed a resolution to declare every 12th of July as International Day of Combating SDS, to raise global awareness. She called on all participants to disseminate information on the dangers of SDS to every nook and cranny of the country.
Extractive360 reports that this year’s celebration of the international day of SDS is the maiden edition of the event in the Nigeria.
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