In its bid to control desertification, the Yobe Government says it will distribute one million varieties of seedlings to the 17 local government areas for planting.

The Commissioner for Environment, Alhaji Wakil Sarki, disclosed this in an interview with our correspondent in Damaturu on Wednesday.

Sarki said that the seedlings were donated by Federal Government to assist the state in combating desertification and other ecological problems.

He said the planting exercise would commence next week and end in May this year in the 17 local government areas.

He said that already, experts from the Federal Ministry of Environment and the Forestry Department Division had arrived in the state to supervise the distribution.

Wakil said the state government had also designed a new policy to encourage families to plant trees in their environments and government offices as a compulsory exercise for all civil servants.

“ We also intend to introduce awards to be presented to local governments that excelled in tree planting,’’ he said.

He said that the government had made adequate arrangements in this year’s budget to accord afforestation a special priority through partnership with local government councils.

The commissioner, however, said that Gov. Ibrahim Gaidam, had already presented a bill to House of Assembly, calling for the enactment of new aforestation law.

He said, when enacted, the law would spell out the rules governing tree plantation, participation of private organisations and penalty for violating the law.

“ Government would soon launch an awareness campaign programme against deforestation and bush burning in the state,’’ he said.

He said the programme which would be replicated at the local government and districts, would include traditional rulers and community associations.

He, therefore, urged the people to support the new measures of combating desertification in the state.