By FUNMI OLASUPO

Abuja – The Minister of Environment, Mrs. Laurencia Mallam is optimistic that the bill for the establishment of a Great Green Wall Programme would soon be passed into law by the National Assembly.

She expressed the optimism during the visit of a PanAfrican Agency of the Great Green Wall to Nigeria.

Addressing the delegation from the Islamic Republic of Mauritania which was in Nigeria to know how far the country had gone in implementing the GGW programme, the minister said the ministry had put in place veritable institutions including a high-powered National Council on Shelterbelt and Forestation chaired by the Vice president, Mohammed Namdi Sambo to facilitate and coordinate the implementation of the GGW programme.

The Ministry, she said, had established similar structures at state level and was in the process of organising participating communities into associations in order to provide a viable platform for their effective participation.

The implementation of the GGW programme according to Mrs Mallam, started in 2013 with activities such as sensitization campaigns to mobilise all stakeholders; planting of 2,871,415 seedlings for forestry and orchards and establishment of 167km of shelterbelts.

“Among the activities include: establishment of 113.5ha orchard plantations and 53ha woodlot and engagement of 146 youths as forest guards,” the Minister informed.

On funding, the Minister said the Federal government had approved N10 billion for the program, adding that efforts were on to source for additional resources to support the PanAfrican agency’s efforts in mobilising funds.

She explained that Nigeria had paid its statutory contribution for the 2011 and 2012 and called on other countries to pay theirs.

Leader of the delegation and Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, Islamic Republic of Mauritania, Mr. Amadi Camara, however said Nigeria’s effort was not commendable.