Security challenges have stalled the implementation of the Great Green Wall (GGW) project in the North-East, a check by the News Agency of Nigeria reveals. The project, which involves the establishment of shelterbelt across 1,500 kilometres in 11 states of the federation, is also facing inadequate disbursement of funds to communities that would drive the project. In Yobe, where 323 kilometres of shelterbelt was to be planted, only 28 kilometres were covered since the project took off in 2013. The project is also threatened by the decision of the state government to scrap the Ministry for Environment. Garba Tahir, erstwhile Director of Forestry in the state, said already 14 kilometres of the 28 kilometres of trees planted in Giedam and Yunusari local government areas had withered away due to security problems. "The host communities engaged to provide water to the trees planted on the shelterbelt were forced to relocate to safer places because of the prevailing security risks. "These are arid regions which must be supported with a lot of watering for the plants to grow; but the relocation of the host communities and forest guards had exposed the plants to harsh conditions threatening their survival. "I am sure the lack of water over this period must have affected the trees, they might have probably dried up because, nobody goes there," Mr. Tahir said. An environmental group, Partnership on Environment, Water and Sanitation, has also berated the government for scrapping the ministry of environment, saying it would thwart the Great Green Wall programme and general fight against desert encroachment in the state. Sheriff Ibrahim, chairman of the organisation, who was on advocacy visit to the state assembly, urged the lawmakers to prevail on the government to rescind the decision. "We wish to call on government to have a rethink on the scrapping of the ministry for environment because of its crucial role in addressing dreaded environmental challenges in the state," he said. The organisation said the absence of a coordinating ministry to tackle environmental problems would result in poor management of the GGW project in Yobe. The Speaker, Dala Dogo, said the assembly would liaise with the executive to reconsider the scrapping of the state ministry. "The ministry for environment is very crucial to fighting desertification and other environmental challenges in the state. "A state ministry for environment will effectively coordinate the Great Green Wall project and accessing of ecological funds from the federal government to fight environmental problems in the state," the speaker said. Jafaru Ayuba, Vice Chairman of Gum Arabic Farmers MarketersAssociation in Yobe, advised that Gum Arabic plantations be established under the project to combat desert encroachment and for economic sustenance of communities. He said the Gum Arabic tree was most suitable to survive the harsh arid weather and would be of high economic potential to communities. In Adamawa, the project has also been abandoned since 2014 due to security challenges. The Project Coordinator in the state, Peter Tizhi, said that the initial progress made was reversed following Boko Haram attacks on the participating communities. Mr. Tizhi, however, expressed optimism that recent gains made in flushing out the insurgents would facilitate continuation of the project. He said over 44,000 fruit seedlings, covering ninety two hectares in three local government areas were planted in the area. According to him, the state has benefited immensely from the project in areas of job creation where not less than 2,000 youth were indirectly employed. "Under the project , we have recruited and trained over 40 forest guards so far, and we have intention of recruiting more guards mainly to protect the shelterbelt from activities of vandals," he said. Mr. Tizhi also confirmed that in 2015 alone, about 66,000 tree seedlings were planted in the state. He said that the project had established tree nurseries in Mubi, Yola and Vintim villages. The coordinator said communities including over 20 district and village heads in about 40 communities as well as religion leaders were fully mobilised to drive the project. He disclosed that 90 per cent of the tree seedlings planted were cash fruits, which were distributed free to the communities, while several solar bore holes were provided to help in maintaining the trees. He also explained that communities in Vintim, Bazza and Paka had been benefiting from the boreholes as their source of drinking water. Similarly, the strangulating security challenges in Borno have virtually crippled the project. Yahya Imam, the Director, National Orientation Agency, a stakeholder in the project, said it was difficult to continue with the project for now. "The programme had so far kicked off in two local government areas in Borno that have been badly affected by desert degradation; and the local governments are Abadam and Mobbar which share border the with Niger Republic. "Other effected local government areas are; Gubio, Magumeri, Kala Balge and Guzamala." Mr. Imam said although communities had keyed into the project, it was not possible to continue due to the adverse effects of the Boko Haram crisis. However, in Gombe State, no fewer than 30 hectares have been planted in three local government areas participating in the project. Abdullahi Bindawa, North-East Zonal Director of National Environmental Standard Regulation Enforcement Agency (NESREA), said the local areas were Dukku, Funakaye and Nafada. "In each of the Local Government Areas, 10 hectares were raised, five woodlots and five orchards making a total of 30 in the three local areas. "The woodlots were meant for the use of the people of the area, in order to prevent them from cutting the trees in the forest. "While the orchards are economic trees such as Cashew, Guava and Mango." According to him, five kilometres shelterbelt was also established in Dukku to serve as wind breaker. He further said that the greatest challenge was the issue of water as well as fencing of the orchards to ensure the survival of the trees. "We in NESREA were able to mobilise and create awareness by involving community associations, traditional leaders, farmers association, firewood sellers and schools environmental clubs among others. "We educated them on desertification control and drought mitigation, biodiversity conservation, soil erosion control, importance of tree planting and the importance of the GGW project to them," he said. Adamu Pukuma, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forest Resources said the state government was doing its best to execute the programme. "We have been encouraging communities to adopt alternative sources of energy for cooking especially using charcoal, Kerosene and fuel economy stove. "They are responding positively, but we are not yet there we are still working round the clock to promote the culture of utilising the alternative sources of energy like fuel economy stove," he said. In Jigawa, 192 hectares representing 64 kilometres of shelterbelt have been three out of the six participating local governments. The State Director of Forestry, Umar Ginya, explained that between 2013 and 2014, the state raised 34 kilometres of shelterbelts in Babura, Sule-Tankarkar and Birniwa local government areas. He added that another 90 hectares of 30 kilometre shelterbelt was established in 2015 in the three local government areas. According to him, Gumel, Maigatari and Kaugama local governments are also running the programme. The Desk Officer said that 12 water schemes powered by solar and wind had been provided to 12 communities in the six local government areas in 2014, while nine additional boreholes were provided to nine communities in 2015. Mr. Ginya disclosed that the state had established 12 nurseries and orchards in 12 participating communities, while 56 direct jobs were generated. According to him, grazing of animals on shelterbelts and inadequate workers to maintain the trees planted are some of the major challenges confronting the project. Abubakar Shehu, a community leader in Gumel, advised the government to involve traditional rulers to fast track the process and mobilise community participation. In Bauchi State, communities affected by the project said they had already donated land through which the shelterbelts would run. Already 30 hectares of woodlot plantation and another 35 hectares for Orchards had been planted since the project began in 2013, while some 30 youths had been engaged as forest guards. They said the gesture was as a result of their involvement in the scheme by the government, which enabled them to appreciate its importance to their livelihood. NAN reports that six communities in three local government areas would be affected. They include Gambaki, Bulkachuwa in Katagum Local Government Area; Budumeri, Malori in Gamawa; as well as Guda, Hanafari in Jamaare. Adamu Isa, a community leader in Gambaki village, said they had already donated three hectares of land on which economic trees such as Mango, Cashew, Moringa and Guava were planted to support economic activities in the village. He said a village development committee was also established to drive the process. According to him, the GGW will channel support funds through the communities to maintain the shelterbelts to maturity. Mr. Isa, however, said the money had not been released to the community. "We were sensitized and carried along in the project. I am the Chairman of GGW in Gambaki and was in Kano along with my secretary for sensitization program. "In fact we have already started benefitting from the project and right now we have more than 5,000 different kinds of seedlings we grew. "We donated three hectares for the project because we believe in it," he added. Awwal Alhaji, Secretary of the GGW Development Committee in Bulkachuwa said about 50 hectares in two locations were released by the community for the planting of Cashew, Guava, Mango, Moringa and Lemon. According to him, a solar borehole has been sunk under the project to provide potable water for human and livestock. He added that the committee had been fully briefed on how to look after the trees to be planted and other facilities to be provided. He said that the funds promised to the committee had not been released. Sule Sale, State Director of Forestry, said the state government had done its part of the project. He said that it included sensitisation of communities, development of woodlots, "The communities were sensitized on the project, mobilized and also are participating in it. "They have even donated lands for the GGW project and some of them were taken to places like Kano for sensitization programs. "In fact the project is planning to assist them with funds as they were asked to open accounts in order to empower them," he added. Mr. Sale also said that there were plans underway to provide the communities with alternative source of energy, boreholes and energy saving stoves. He disclosed that the state government was constructing a skills acquisition centre in Chinade, Katagum Local Government Area "where youths in the GGW corridor would be trained on different skills." He however said that the main challenge was the delay in the release of funds and called on the Federal Government to look into the matter as activities under the project were time oriented. (NAN)