Adamawa Gets 400,000 Hybrid Date Seedlings from GGW

From Umar Dankano, Yola

The Adamawa State Government has received a donation of 400,000 hybrid date seedlings from the Green Great World (GGW) initiative to boost afforestation and mitigate the effects of climate change across the state.

Commissioner for Environment, Hon. Muhammad Sadiq Muhammad, disclosed this in an interview with journalists in Yola, explaining that the seedlings are high-yield hybrids capable of maturing within four to five years—unlike the traditional species that take up to two decades.

He added that the ministry has also distributed 1.5 million seedlings of various tree species across the 21 local government areas, with each LGA planting 100,000 seedlings for both ecological and economic benefits. So far, about 65% of the trees are being nurtured by experts.

The Commissioner revealed that Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri has established the State Mineral Resources and Environmental Management Committee (MIREMCO), chaired by himself, to address issues of mining and flood control. The committee recently discovered 84 houses built on waterways in Yola South LGA, as well as illegal structures on government refuse dump sites, which contribute to flooding.

Responding to allegations of deductions from local government funds for sanitation exercises, Muhammad confirmed the practice but described it as statutory and legitimate.

He explained that each LGA allocation includes a sanitation levy managed by the Ministry of Environment, which determines how and where the exercises are conducted. The ministry also sources funds from corporate organizations as part of their corporate social responsibility to support sanitation programs.

“For instance, if about ₦11 million is deducted from all LGAs, it’s a negligible amount compared to the value of maintaining a clean and safe environment,” he said.

The Commissioner urged residents to adopt positive environmental habits to ensure cleaner air, safer food, and a healthier ecosystem for all.