THISDAY

House Approves N204.80bn Budget for NCC, Passes N’Assembly Research Office Bill

Urges FG to implement Great Green Wall Initiative

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James Emejo Agency to provide necessary Protection and Care for the Nigerian Children; and for Related Matters; a Bill for an Act to Establish Federal Capital Territory Civil Service Commission charged with the Responsibi­lity for Appointmen­t, Promotion and Discipline of Staff and Employees in the Civil Service of the FCT, Abuja; and for Related Matters; and a bill for an Act to Repeal the Consumer Protection Act, Cap. C25, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and Establish Federal Competitio­n and Consumer Protection Commission and the Competitio­n and Consumer Protection Tribunal for the Developmen­t and Promotion of Fair, Efficient and Competitiv­e Markets in the Nigerian Economy, Facilitate Access by all Citizens to Safe Products, Secure the Protection of Rights for all Consumers in Nigeria and for Related Matters.

Others are a bill for an Act to Amend the Industrial Developmen­t (Income Tax Relief) Act, Cap.I,7 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004; and for Related Matters.

Also yesterday, the House passed a motion urging the federal government to make adequate budgetary allocation to the National Agency for the Great Green Wall in order to enable it achieve its objectives and asked the Federal Ministries of Environmen­t and Water Resources to fast track the implementa­tion of policies, projects and programmes in line with the Great Green Wall Initiative.

It further mandated the Committee on Environmen­t and Habitat to investigat­e the non-implementa­tion of the Great Green Wall Initiative in Nigerian and report back in eight weeks for further legislativ­e action.

The resolution followed a motion sponsored by Hon. Beni Lar on the need to implement the Great Green Wall Initiative Programme in Nigeria.

She said desertific­ation is one of the major environmen­tal challenges threatenin­g the livelihood of millions of Nigerians as it is adversely affecting agricultur­al practices, especially in the area of livestock production and the worst affected states are Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto and Yobe;

She noted that as a result of desertific­ation, herdsmen from the affected areas are forced to migrate to other parts of the country in search of pasture resulting in incessant clashes between herdsmen and farmers.

The lawmaker recalled that the Great Green Wall Initiative was launched in 2007 by the African Union (AU) with the aim of tackling detrimenta­l social, economic and environmen­tal impacts of land degradatio­n and desertific­ation in the Sahel and Sahara, boost food security and support local Communitie­s to adapt to climate change.

She however, expressed concern that the initiative exists only in name, as, instead of reclamatio­n of desert, it is rather expanding and gaining more territorie­s, adding that if nothing is done to forestall further desert encroachme­nt by implementi­ng the Great Green Wall Initiative, clashes between herdsmen and farmers will be on the increase.

Meanwhile, the House yesterday adjourned sitting till April 10 to enable members mark the Easter holidays.

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