By Laide Akinboade

ABUJA – Minister of Environment, Mr. John Odey has revealed that over 43 million Nigerians are affected by desertification.

Odey who stated this today at the a press briefing to mark the 2009 World Desertification Day, said most of the people that are affected are less privileged in the country who are unable to alleviate the effect of the challenges being faced as a result of desertification.

The theme for this year world Desertification Day is, “Conserving Land and Water equals securing our Common Future”.

He noted that, “On this World Day to combat Desertification, we would like to remind everyone that threats to soil security, unleashed desertification, land degradation and the effects of drought constitute a peril to securing our common future.

“Here in Nigeria the problem of desertification is threatening the livelihoods of over 43 million Nigerians. Our greatest challenge therefore is that the most vulnerable are the less privileged in our society who cannot on their own mitigate the emergi