From Abdullahi Idris,Dutse
Jigawa State governor, Umar Namadi has reiterated his administration’s commitment to environmental sustainability, as the state prepares to host the 2025 Green World Day.
The event, marking the 10th anniversary of the National Agency for the Great Green Wall, NAGGW, is slated for July 29 in Dutse.
This is the first time that the summit will be hosted outside the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.
Receiving the Director-General of NAGGW, Alhaji Saleh Abubakar and his team at the Government House, Dutse, Governor Namadi hailed the decision to bring the celebration to Jigawa State.
He emphasised the long-standing relationship between his administration and the agency, noting that Jigawa is not a new partner, but an active and dependable ally.
“I can remember that I was one of the first governors that paid a visit to the agency when I assumed office. So, I began to build a very strong relationship with the agency. I think I visited the agency about two times. This shows that we, as a government and people of Jigawa State, recognise the importance of this agency.
“We, as one of the frontline states, have a partner that is willing to assist us to support our environment. We will try as much as possible to restore the degraded soil we have in many parts of this state,” the governor said.
Speaking earlier, Alhaji Abubakar outlined the significance of Jigawa’s selection as the host state for this year’s celebration, saying it ranks highest among the 11 frontline states in terms of Great Green Wall activities and international donor engagement.
He also announced that the summit would feature six major activities: a National Green Summit, fundraising campaigns, tree-planting drives, environmental education, cultural engagement and awards for partners and contributors.
The director-general also revealed that Nigeria plans to plant 20 billion trees between this year and 2030, citing Ethiopia’s 7.5 billion tree milestone as an inspiration.
“So, within these five years, Your Excellency, we want to plant 20 billion trees in this country,” Abubakar disclosed.
