Nigeria Adovactes Implementation Of Land Right For Women 

The Nigerian Government says it will continue to advocate for effective implementation of lands rights for women in the country.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Mr Ibrahim Yusufu stated this in Abuja, the nation’s capital at the Commemoration of the 2023 World Desertification and Drought Day,  “Themed  Her Land Her Right: Advancing Gender  Equality and Land Restoration Goals”.

The Permanent Secretary said that    Stakeholers,  in the environmental sector  should ensure that women have equal rights in access to land in law and practice.

This he said would help to prevent private corporations and investors, powerful local elites, multilateral organisations, and family members from discriminating against women in their rights to access, use, inherit, control, and own land.

“I Would like to extend to all of you a cordial welcome on this occasion of the celebration of World Desertification and Drought Day. Today, as emphasis the world over is on equality, falmess and justice, this year’s World Desertification and Drought Day theme is “Her Land. Her Right”,very gladdening and heartwarming.

“Driven by the urgency of a global rush for land and extracted resources and unprecedented urbanisation and hastened by the growing impact of climate change and frequency of natural disasters, women have been at the center of human rights violations worldwide regarding their rights and access to land.” he said.

The permanent Secretary also noted that women’s land rights are ostival to democracy, peace, justice, sustainable development and security for all.

“Securing land rights for women will sets off powerful, continued ripple effects that go a long way toward realizing gender equality and a range of critical SDGs and human rights,” he stated.

He further said that  women are major actors in the global efforts to reduce and reverse land degradation.

“Women are more harshly affected by land tenure insecurity due to direct and indirect discriminatory laws and practices at the
national, community and family level
from large-scale land acquisitions that displaces communities without due compensation, to the encroachment of extractive industries on indigenous and communal lands, to the unplanned urbanization that forcibly evicts people living in informal settlements,” he explained.

The Permanent Secretary mis represented by the Director Department of Drought and Desertification Management in the Ministry, Mrs Mable Emmanuel.

Tree Planting

FCT Permanent Secretary, Mr Adesola Olusade said deliberate efforts was being made by the FCT to ensure that it plant trees within its environment to promote an environment where the temperature can be regulated.

“With today’s very significant for us, it is the International Day for desertification and Drought control is set aside by the United Nations to raise consciousness on the damaging and deleterious effects of desertification and drought which is ravaging the continent. Now, deliberate efforts is being made on this day, to ensure that we plant trees within our environment to promote an environment where the temperature can be regulated,” he said.

He said the FCT would continue to put forth effort to promote the planting of trees.

Mr Olushola, said the FCT would reinvigorate the compliance with regulation governing the FCT to ensure that  all contribute collectively, to make Abuja a very safe and green place.

“Abuja is a green city and these have been tested by many heads of government that visit Nigeria, when they come into the country they are impress we what we ae doing, that’s what I also eenjoined the department that, Let us rotate the venue of this event. So that will go to another place and plant there. it will be my delight to see that before the end or during the tenure of this administration, the entire airport is lined with trees, so that anyone come into the FCT will be welcomed by their good aesthetics,” he stated.

According, to him, there are regulations governing the development of assets. It’s also specified among holders of every house the number of trees that should be planted.

Director Parks and Recreation Center FCT, Mr Isaiah Ukpanah said that the Department of Parks and Recreation have been planting trees to ensure that the environment is green

He said the FCT have planted over 250 trees in Abuja.

“You can really see the whole environment of Abuja is quite great and that’s the effort of this department. we know that Abuja is a green city, trees are being planted daily to accommodate more buildings,” he added.

The sildlines of the event also withness the planting of trees in the FCT parks and recreation centre.
Confidence Okwuchi