GGW, ABU collaborate on afforestation

The National Agency for the Great Green Wall and the management of the Ahmadu Bello University are working together to reduce the over dependence of residents of the 11 frontline states participating in the Great Green Wall project on firewood. Mr Goni Ahmed, Director General NAGGW said at ABU’s 2015 tree planting campaign that firewood […]

The National Agency for the Great Green Wall and the management of the Ahmadu Bello University are working together to reduce the over dependence of residents of the 11 frontline states participating in the Great Green Wall project on firewood.
Mr Goni Ahmed, Director General NAGGW said at ABU’s 2015 tree planting campaign that firewood was one of the major drivers of desertification.
He urged the university to come up with technologies that will reduce the use of firewood by residents considering that such activities not only reduce the nation’s forest cover but enhances desert encroachment.
He said the agency was working with communities in the frontline states to establish shelterbelts. “The shelterbelt will help them to leave the forest alone thereby protecting them against desertification.”
He also said that the agency was establishing skill acquisition centres in the frontline states where community members would be taught various skills.
“We are calling on the management of ABU to join us in this drive. With the experience and wealth of knowledge at the disposal of ABU, we are confident that their participation in the Skill Acquisition Centres programme will make it a huge success,” he added.
Prof. Ibrahim Garba, ABU Vice Chancellor said the school adopted the strategies of environmental sustainability for more than two decades and that celebrating the annual environment day through tree planting was only a small segment of intervention in sustaining the institution’s natural environment.
He said the school through its Green Belt and environmental initiative was able to intervene in the reclamation of Kubanni reservoir, construct new treatment plant which supplies about one million litres per day to the university and the systematic planting of over 200,000 trees.
He said that the university Green Wall planted over the years was under threat and that the university was facing the challenges of providing alternative energy sources for the proximal communities in order to reduce their over dependence and illegal abuse of the university’s Green Wall.
He said the school was working seriously to restore the Biological Garden and Earth Dam for research purposes and conservation of biodiversity.
“We are also providing institutions and interested organisation with seedlings of endangered plant species,” he added.
He said that issues of environment must be accorded high priority considering the increases in the frequency of flood, aridity, loss of biodiversity, forest fires, ocean surge, crustal instability, and food and water shortages around the world.
 Also speaking at the event, Chief Giwa Bisi Rodipe, Promoter, Evergreen Tree Planters, noted that it was time investment in tree planting be scaled up considering the numerous benefits that would accrue to the country and citizens.
“It is surprising that there are so many firewood markets across the country but there are no tree plantations. Tree planting is profitable, we must invest in tree planting as no government since independence had planted any tree,” he added.
He urged ABU to champion the introduction of private and commercial forest in northern Nigeria ,saying that if 10 per cent of government spending was channelled into agriculture and forest plantation, most Nigerians would in no distance time be living in affluence.
“Today we are buying imported plywood, we need to restock our forest, traditional rulers need to be educated for them to encourage their subjects to plant trees,” he said.
The Great Green Wall programme donated over 5,000 seedlings of various species to the school as part of its support to the green atmosphere at the university.
It will be recalled that the different species of trees planted in ABU over the years have given the university a weather and climate pattern that is different from other towns in the region. The weather on the campus could be like some southern parts of Nigeria in the northern Sahel region.
The rapid extinction of indigenous plants due to climate change and increasing human activities and accelerated by lack of tree planting culture calls for urgent need for partnership aimed at mitigating the negative impact of environmental and ecological challenges in a modern world, the participants at the event agreed.
Ahmadu Bello University has over the years made history for inviting high government officials to contribute to the greening of the campus. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, a foremost farmer, was invited even after leaving office to plant trees in ABU.
Major General Mamman Kontangora, one-time Sole Administrator of the university, also has a tree plantation on the campus just like Chief Obasanjo. All kinds of trees found in the southern part of Nigeria including palm trees are grown in ABU. Some of the palm trees have been bearing fruits.