World Environment Day: Kano gov’t serves quit notice to businesses on public parks

World Environment Day: Kano gov’t serves quit notice to businesses on public parks

Kano State Government has sent out quit notices to occupants of all public parks and gardens in the state.

Before the notice, most public parks and gardens in the state are occupied by many business operators.

The government said the recovery of all these entities was with a view to re-establishing a befitting public park for relaxation and balancing of the ecosystem.

The State Commissioner for Environment, Alhaji Nasir Sule Garo, disclosed this on Wednesday at a news conference as part of activities to mark World Environment Day set aside by the United Nations.

He said, ‘’We have already served most of the occupants quit notice except those that petrol filling stations have been built on.

‘’We are trying to improve on the quality of air in our environment as well as improving the ecosystem, hence the need to ensure the recovery of these entities.’’

The commissioner said the tree planting campaign embarked upon by the state government is aimed at mitigating climate change challenges facing the state, Nigeria and the world at large.

‘’KNSG is planning to plant more than 3,000,000 seedlings in collaboration with relevant stakeholders like ACReSAL, NGOs, individuals and organised private sector.’’

According to him, in reinvigorating ACReSAl project, a collaboration of the state with the World Bank and the Federal Government, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has succeeded in restructuring the multimillion-dollar project for the benefit of the good people of Kano State.

The Agro-climatic resilience in semi-arid landscapes (ACRESAL) is a six-year project established to help Nigeria address critical challenges of regional desertification control and landscape management in targeted arid/semi-arid watershed in the 19 Northern States including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

He said in line with the theme of this year’s World Environment Day, ‘’Land restoration, stopping desertification and building drought resilience”, the state government, in collaboration with ACReSAL Project and the Food and Agriculture Organisation, are working towards recovering about 10,000 degraded land in Kano which can be restored and allocated to farmers for agricultural development.

Mr Garo noted that as part of institutional support by ACReSAL Project aimed at addressing environmental challenges was the establishment of state of the art soil and water laboratory at Yusuf Maitama Sule University and support for drainage clearance that assisted in checking flooding in Kano last year.

The commissioner noted that other activities and achievements recorded by the state government on environmental issues from the inception of the present administrations to date include:

‘’The partnership between Kano State Government and National Great Green Wall project (NGGW) where funds and lands are put together for the establishment of community tree nurseries and plantations in the state, tour to State-owned established plantations, Shelterbelt, Nurseries, wood lots and that of the National Agency for the Great Green Wall sites

‘’Sustenance of Drainage clearance across 8 metropolitan Local Government Areas to avert flooding.

‘’Sustenance of the conduct of End-of-month sanitation exercise across the metropolitan Local Government Areas, enhancing the welfare of the members of the committees and expanding it.

‘’Welfare of the ministry personnel – gen. maintenance of water supply, repairs of some offices, purchased of furniture and purchase of computers and accessories among other renovations at the ministry headquarter for conducive working atmosphere for staff.

‘’Erosion control measures at places like Gandun Albasa, Murtala Muhammad Hospital and others are being done by the ministry and its parastatal,” he said.