Permanent Secretary of the environment ministry, Taiwo Haruna stated this yesterday during the defence of the ministry’s climate change department budget provision before the House of Representatives committee.
He said the increasing case of deforestation was fast attracting desertification in some parts of the north arguing that the purchase of the stoves would help stop the use of charcoal for domestic use.
Haruna, who represented the environment minister, Lauretta Laraba Malam, was responding to questions on the ministry’s plans to curb deforestation.
Chairman of the committee had earlier cited the recurrent clashes between herdsmen and farmers, especially in Benue state as one of the effect of climate change.
He said the nexus was arrived at from the movement of cattle breeders to some states of the south.
The committee also said the ministry had failed in educating Nigerians on climate change, and blamed the permanent secretary for not giving due attention to the climate change department of the ministry.
Rep Christina Alaga (PDP, Benue) expressed concerns that lack of controlled grazing field had prompted the herders to make in-roads into most villages in her constituency, which has forced thousands of people to relocate to Makurdi.
Consequently, members of the committee in unison lamented the poor handling of many environmental cases by the ministry, saying committee could only provide assistance when the ministry showed clarity of purpose in its projects and programmes.
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