The governor of Borno, Babagana Umara Zulum, has advocated for the restoration of the Sambisa forest, which has suffered greatly from the more than ten-year-old Boko Haram insurgency.
Zulum underlined the pressing need for restoration and conservation efforts during his speech at the UN’s High-Level Segment Roundtable on “Forest-based solutions to the triple planetary crises: A focus on people, science, technology, and finance” in New York.
The governor emphasised the terrible consequences of the insurgency on Borno State, such as extensive population displacement, damaged infrastructure, and loss of means of subsistence.
He claims that the fighting has also made the area more vulnerable to the effects of climate change, resulting in deforestation, biodiversity loss, and increased environmental degradation.
Zulum emphasised that the loss of forests like Sambisa is causing climate change, which in turn is causing Lake Chad, a key source of water and life for millions, to diminish. He named violence, unsustainable land use practices, population increase, agricultural development, and energy needs as the main causes of deforestation in Borno State.
Zulum suggested measures including community involvement, monitoring and assessment, rehabilitation and restoration, cooperation and partnership to preserve the forest and advance sustainable development in order to overcome these problems.
Leading the Nigerian group was Minister of Environment Balarabe Abbas Lawan, accompanied by Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal and other officials.
