The Adamawa State Government has received 400,000 hybrid date seedlings from Green Great World (GGW) as part of efforts to mitigate the impact of climate change across the state.
Commissioner for Environment, Hon. Muhammad Sadiq Muhammad, confirmed the donation in Yola, noting that the seedlings are high-yield hybrids that germinate and mature within four to five years, unlike traditional varieties that take up to 20 years.
He further disclosed that the ministry has already distributed 1.5 million seedlings of various tree species, with each of the 21 local government areas planting 100,000 seedlings. According to him, 65% of the trees are currently being nurtured under expert supervision for both environmental and economic benefits.
The Commissioner highlighted Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri’s commitment to environmental protection, revealing that the administration has established the State Mineral Resources and Environmental Management Committee (MIREMCO), chaired by himself. The committee addresses issues relating to mining and flood control, including the discovery of 84 houses illegally built on waterways in Yola South Local Government Area.
On allegations of deductions from local government allocations to fund monthly sanitation exercises, Muhammad confirmed the practice but stressed it is lawful. He explained that a statutory sanitation levy is embedded in every local government’s allocation and channeled to the Ministry of Environment to execute environmental sanitation programs.
He added that corporate organizations, including banks and construction companies, also contribute through their corporate social responsibility to strengthen the state’s sanitation drive.
“For instance, if it is N11 million being deducted from the LGAs, it is a negligible amount, hence we solicit support from other ends,” Muhammad clarified.
The Commissioner urged residents of Adamawa State to adopt positive environmental habits, stressing that collective responsibility is necessary to ensure clean air and safe food for all.