Latest News

FG reiterates Nigeria’s commitment to restore dwindling Lake Chad

Published by
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo

VICE President Yemi Osinbajo on Monday reiterated Federal Government’s unflinching commitment to support all programmes and policies to restore the Lake Chad basin.

Osinbajo said this in Abuja at the opening of the International Conference on Lake Chad, with the Theme: “Saving the Lake to Revitalise the Basin’s Ecosystem’’.

According to him, saving the Lake is a huge task that should be done to preserve the livelihood, fight insecurity and solve the humanitarian crises, as the implication of its shrinkage is grave.

Osinbajo said the lake, which had shrunk from 25,000 square meters in the 60’s to 2,500 square meters presently, had no fewer than 30 million people relying on it for livelihood.

He said the past 30 years had seen tremendous efforts such as the Lake Chad Basin Water Transfer, and the proposed Inter-Basin water Transfer project from the Ubangui River in Congo.

“Lake Chad issue is an international issue with a global challenge, saving the lake is preserving the livelihood of millions of people.

“Nigeria would implement all recommendations made to restore the Lake Chad at the end of this conference.’’

In his remarks, the Minister of Water Resources, Mr Suleiman Adamu, said despite poverty and the security challenges, the freshwater body was still a source of water supply for drinking, fisheries and other socio-economic activities.

He said saving the Lake Chad in a sustainable manner required the collaboration of all relevant stakeholders, adding that all hands should be on deck to save the lake from extinction.

“The lake is the epicentre of human, animal and plant life for the region, it contains a variety of habitats.

“The UN Environmental Programme in 2006 reported that persistent drought and ravages of the rapidly growing human population have decimated it.’’

Adamu called on all stakeholders to support the processes to restore the glory of the region, saying that all hands should be on deck.

Mr Sanusi Abdullahi, the Executive Secretary, Lake Chad Basin Commission, said insurgency, climate change, nonpayment of annual contributions were some of the challenges militating against full implementation of its programmes in the region.

According to him, there is the need to mobilise partnership for reversing the devastating effect of the Lake Chad.

Abdullahi said that the huge progress made toward the realisation of the inter-basin water transfer project to recharge the basin and save it from extinction was worthy of note.

ALSO READ: Lake Chad biosphere reserve will promote regional peace

Sanusi said the programme to rehabilitate and strengthen the resilience of the basin was ongoing, despite challenges, and expressed the hope that it would pick up by the end of the first quarter of 2018.

Recent Posts

UBA GMD, Kekere-Ekun, others seek collaboration to boost economic growth

The stakeholders made this call on Tuesday during the 23rd National Seminar on Banking and…

17 minutes ago

PFN to Tinubu: Act decisively on killings in Benue, others

The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) has called on President Bola Tinubu to take decisive…

18 minutes ago

Police arraign Ghanaian national for alleged N7.4m visa fraud

A Ghanaian national, Yaw Agyei, has been arraigned before a Yaba Chief Magistrate Court in…

24 minutes ago

Flood: NEMA deploys relief materials to Yelwata community in Benue

In a swift response to the recent attack on Yelwata community in Benue State, the…

28 minutes ago

Abia govt to launch 25-year Greater Aba master plan

Abia State Government (ABSG) has concluded plans to launch a 25-year Greater Aba master plan…

43 minutes ago

FCT polls: APC grants waiver to new member

Ahead of the June 25 primaries to select its candidates for the forthcoming Federal Capital…

59 minutes ago

Welcome

Install

This website uses cookies.