ACReSAL to Address Drought, Desertification in Yobe State – National Project Coordinator

The National Project Coordinator (NPC) of the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL), Mr. Abdulahamid Umar has assured the government and people of Yobe State that the project will intervene to tackle the environmental degradation in the state.

The NPC stated this on Friday when he received the Yobe state Project Management Unit of the ACReSAL led by the State Project Coordinator (SPC), Alhaji Mohammed Shehu.

The team paid him a congratulatory visit in his Abuja Office.

He said that ACReSAL is implemented in the 19 Northern States and FCT, and it will address the environmental challenges in Yobe State.

The NPC assured the SPC that ACReSAL project will address the challenges of drought and desertification, sand dunes, oases, wetlands in Yobe State. Speaking on ecological issues, the NPC noted that the story is pathetic and touchy that most of the birds no longer exist and over 200 oases are going extinct.

The NPC lauded Alhaji Mohammed for embarking on a knowledge and information exchanges visit to Kogi state considering the state’s track records and achievement under NEWMAP Project while noting that with resources and competence we will address the degraded nature of our land. He again thanked him for the felicitation visit and assured him of his support and guidance.

Earlier in his Remarks, the Yobe State Project Coordinator said that the team is in Abuja to congratulate the NPC on his appointment and to brief him on the worsening environmental issues in Yobe State.

Mr. Mohammed disclosed that Yobe state is among the frontline states ravaged by drought and desertification due to its proximity to the Sahara desert. He said the state shares a boundary of 323 km with the Niger Republic, Geographically the state lies on Latitude 12.5” to 13” N and Longitude 9.5” to 13.5” E which makes the state very arid, fragile and prone to drought and desert encroachment.

He observed that in the Hadeija-Nguru wetland, Zoto wetland, Ngeji wetland, the Dagona water sanctuary etc which serve as means of livelihood to the communities, a place where migratory birds from Italy, Spain, England and other parts of Africa use to visit these wetlands in Millions, the population of these migratory birds is drastically reducing day by day.

He further reported that Yobe State has the highest number of oases in the country, and more than 200 are dying and drying very fast. These oases serve as natural stabilisers and livelihood support for the people living in the desert. He therefore called on the National Project Coordinator and his team for support to fight and reduce the menace of environmental challenges in Yobe State.

The Project Environmental Safeguard Specialist, Mrs. Theresa Ajiboye had earlier welcomed the Yobe state team to ACReSAL Abuja office and commended the team for the choice of Kogi and Katsina states on the Knowledge exchanges.