The Niger government says it will plant over 19 million trees in two years in line with Governor Umaru Bago’s green economy initiatives.

Yakubu Kolo, the state Commissioner for Environment and Climate Change, made this known at a news conference in Minna on Thursday.

Mr Kolo, represented by Sirajo Sa’eed, the ministry’s permanent secretary, said plans are underway to host a maiden green economy summit in October.

“This is to make the state a green hub of the nation and attract local and international guests,” he said.

He noted that the ministry had recorded achievements such as addressing deforestation, saying that N5 million had been generated from clamping down on illegal logging activities.

He said the ministry was working towards addressing the issue of dump sites in major towns, adding that it had uncovered sites where chemicals were being stored.

Also, Maurice Magaji, the state Commissioner for Lands Survey, said the state government had allocated six hectares of land to contractors handling the Minna and Bida urban renewal project for yard development.

He said the land was at Rafin Yashi, adding that the uncompleted Maitunbi/Rafin Yashi by-pass would also be developed and dualised.

(NAN)