…Calls for Collective Effort to Combat Desertification

Governor Ahmed Aliyu of Sokoto State has officially flagged off the 2025 Tree Planting Campaign in Sokoto New City, Kasarawa, with a call for collective action to curb desert encroachment in the state.

The Governor announced that the State Government, through the Ministry of Environment, has procured both environmental and economic seedlings for distribution across the 23 local government areas.

He directed local government councils to hasten the collection of their allocations and ensure planting in their respective domains.

He further charged local government chairmen to sensitise their communities on the dangers of indiscriminate tree felling and the urgent need to stop the practice.

“Sokoto, as we all know, is located in the Sahelian region, making it prone to desert encroachment, which is advancing at an alarming rate, thereby posing serious threats to our farmlands. We must, therefore, rise to this challenge.”

“Where it becomes absolutely necessary to cut down a tree, a replacement must be provided, and concrete measures must be put in place to nurse and protect it”.

“As Muslims, we know the position of our religion on the benefits of tree planting and the eternal reward attached to it. In fact, planting trees can be regarded as sadaqatul jariyya, whose reward continues even after death,” Aliyu added.

Governor Aliyu also lauded the effort of the National Agency for the Great Green Wall (GGW) for allocating 450,000 date seedlings to Sokoto State as part of its contribution to combating desertification, mitigating climate change, and enhancing food security.

He explained that the seedlings would soon be made available for collection at designated nursery centres in Gundunga (Kware LGA), Goronyo town (Goronyo LGA), and Sanyinna (Tambuwal LGA).

The Governor added that the seedlings would be distributed to individuals, NGOs, government institutions, and public places such as markets, schools, mosques, and hospitals to ensure massive plantations across the state.

He also appreciated President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for supporting the Great Green Wall initiative, which aims to address climate change, erosion, desert encroachment, and other environmental challenges in the country.

Also speaking at the event, the State Commissioner for Environment, Hon. Nura Shehu Tangaza, revealed that the Ministry has set a target of planting 500,000 seedlings across Sokoto State this year.

He stressed that community participation is key to the campaign’s success and commended Governor Ahmed Aliyu for his unwavering support for the Ministry.

In his remarks, the Director General of the National Agency for the Great Green Wall, Dr. Saleh Abubakar, represented by the Director of Afforestation, reaffirmed the Agency’s commitment to safeguarding Nigeria’s land from desertification.

He explained that the GGW initiative spans across 11 African countries and covers 11 states in Nigeria, including Sokoto.

He praised Governor Aliyu for his commitment to the project’s success in the state.

The Chairman of Wamakko Local Government, Hon. Umar Ahmed, thanked Governor Aliyu for selecting his area to host this year’s tree-planting campaign and pledged the council’s support to ensure its success.

The highlight of the event was the symbolic planting of tree seedlings by dignitaries in attendance.