Tree planting project: Reps panel absolves agency of ‘N81bn mismanagement’

A house of representatives ad hoc committee has cleared the National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW) of allegedly mismanaging N81 billion meant for a tree planting project.

The lower legislative chamber set up the committee to investigate the NAGGW after it adopted a motion in July.

Ismaila Dabo, a lawmaker from Bauchi, was appointed chair of the ad hoc panel.

In the course of the investigation, Yusuf Maina Bukar, NAGGW director-general, said only N53.4 million was released to the agency as against the N81 billion alleged to have been spent on tree planting.

The DG said only the sum of N5 billion was expended on planting trees between 2015 to July 2023.

In a report, the agency found that “evidence from the hearing indicates that the NAGGW received a total sum of ₦53,425,423,874.34 (Fifty-three Billion, Four Hundred and Twenty-five Million, Four Hundred and Twenty-three Thousand, Eight Hundred- and Seventy-four-naira, Thirty-four Kobo) only from inception in 2015 to July, 2023″.

“The percentage of ecological funding going to the agency was reduced from 15% provided for by the act to just 5% with effect from January 2020 to date,” it said.

The panel said NAGGW did not receive budgetary allocation for 2015 and that ecological funding was not released to the agency until 2019.

In its recommendations, the panel asked the federal government to release the sum of N20 billion “immediately” which is the shortfall of the reduction from ecological funds from January 2020 to date.

“Urge the National Agency for the Great Green Wall to as a matter of urgency include the frontline states of Adamawa, Bauchi and Gombe States in the fourth phase of the afforestation projects which are to commence soon,” the recommendation reads.

“There is an urgent need for the agency to undertake recruitment of staff, especially for its offices at the front line states.

“Need for a greater collaboration and synergy between the NAGGW and the federal ministry of environment.”

The panel said there is a need for the public to be enlightened on the need for forest preservation.