The Kano State Government has firmly opposed efforts to transform sections of the landmark Afforestation Programme Coordinating Unit (APCU) complex in Jambulo into private residential or commercial land. State Commissioner for Water Resources, Environment and Climate Change, Dr. Dahir M. Hashim, emphasized that this site is vital for public environmental preservation.
Dr. Hashim explained that the facility, established in 1988, has served for decades as a hub for tree-planting coordination and the training of forestry staff. He expressed deep concern over claims that land has been partitioned for private use and that federal environmental agencies are being pushed out. He highlighted that the site is not abandoned, especially given the recent move of the National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW) headquarters to the location.
Addressing the ecological impact, the commissioner noted that the mature trees on the property are essential for cooling the air, preventing soil erosion, and maintaining biodiversity. Losing this decades-old vegetation would cause significant environmental damage. Dr. Hashim has formally requested that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Attorney-General intervene to protect the facility. Furthermore, he pledged that Kano State will back the Federal Ministry of Environment and associated agencies in efforts to maintain the land as a public resource.
