The Federal Government said it has emplaced strategies to tackle unsustainable agricultural practices, excessive logging and infrastructure deficit significantly reducing the rate of deforestation, forest degradation and adverse climate conditions.
Addressing a press briefing on Wednesday in Abuja, the Minister of Environment, Malam Balarabe Lawal while stating that forests play a crucial role in regulating the country’s climatic conditions for climate resilience, said: “The Ministry has put in place strategies to tackle unsustainable agricultural practices, excessive logging and infrastructure deficit significantly reducing the rate of deforestation, forest degradation and adverse climate conditions.
“Forests plays crucial role in biodiversity conservation, maintaining of water cycles and the provision of livelihoods for millions of people.
“It’s worthy of note that achievements have been recorded with regard to restoration of forest in Nigeria under the administration of President Bola Tinubu.”
He explained that: “Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) is an initiative of the Federal Government of Nigeria established to implement the recommendations of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Report on the Ogoni land oil spill.
“The Ministry initiated the world’s most extensive mangrove restoration in Ogoniland by HYPREP.
“The pilot phase of 560ha is 85 per cent completed, with over two million seedlings comprising red, black, and white mangrove species planted. This is the first mangrove restoration in Nigeria involving the planting of different species,” Lawal said.
He also revealed that the Ministry has signed an agreement with the Republic of Cameroon on Cooperation Framework Agreement on Trans-Boundary Ecosystem Conservation and Sustainable Management of Forestry and Wildlife Resources on April 19, 2024.
Lawal noted that: “This will foster collaborations between both countries in protecting shared ecosystems, including forests, wildlife and water bodies.
“It will ensure the coordinated management of trans-boundary protected areas, such as Cross River National Park (Nigeria) and Korup National Park (Cameroon), which are biodiversity hotspots in collaboration with major and strategic stakeholders.”
He noted that the goal is to improve the resilience of affected communities to climate change and climate variability in the dry lands of Nigeria.
He said one of the major achievements of the ministry include: raising of 3,850,000 Neem seedlings for the establishment of Plant Nurseries in the 11 National Agency of the Great Green Wall frontline states to provide medicinal raw materials.
“Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN): FRIN is the leading research institution in Nigeria which focuses on forestry, forest products and environmental development initiatives.
“Its major achievements include: the digitalisation of the forests zones in Nigeria;
“National Park Service (NPS) is responsible for managing and conserving national parks and wildlife reserves of protected areas across the nation,” he said.
Lawal noted that NPS is primarily responsible for enforcing environmental laws to prevent illegal activities such as poaching, deforestation and encroachment on protected lands.
“Achievements recorded under NPS include; the enhancement of forest security, through strengthened inter-agency collaboration especially with the Nigeria Military.
He said that the collaboration is gradually yielding positive results as shown in the recovery of forest areas occupied by bandits as well as, sustaining the fight against insurgency and terrorism in our forests.
