The National Chairman of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has congratulated Governor Mai Mala Buni CON on his emergence as the new Chairman of Lake Chad Governors’ Forum.
He called for immediate measures to address the shrinking Lake Chad Basin. Ganduje made this appeal during the closing of the 5th Lake Chad Basin Governors’ Forum, held in Maiduguri on Friday.
In his closing remarks, Ganduje emphasized the urgent environmental challenges facing communities in the region and the need for a renewed commitment to reviving the lake, which has been steadily shrinking in recent years.
He reflected on the vision of the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) founders—Davao Baleo of Nigeria, Ahmed Ahijo of Cameroon, Amani Diori of Niger, and Tamba Lubai of Chad—who had championed the inter-basin water transfer initiative aimed at recharging the lake.
Despite his busy schedule, Ganduje dedicated time to actively participate in all the sessions of the forum. His closing remarks highlighted his deep knowledge, vast experience, and profound understanding of the challenges facing the Lake Chad region.
While acknowledging the importance of ongoing security and peace-building efforts in the region, Ganduje stressed that environmental restoration, particularly the recharging of Lake Chad, is equally crucial.
He urged stakeholders to prioritize and invest in the inter-basin water transfer project, which involves transferring water from the Mbange River in Cameroon to Lake Chad.
“Security threats from Boko Haram and other groups must not overshadow the urgent need to restore Lake Chad,” Ganduje stated.
He also suggested exploring additional water transfer sources from Nigeria’s River Benue, River Bongola, and River Katuna, as part of a broader strategy to address the environmental crisis in the basin.
Ganduje expressed gratitude to development partners, including the UNDP and governments of Germany, the UK, Sweden, and the Netherlands, for their financial support in implementing the regional stabilization strategy.
He also commended all participants for their valuable contributions to discussions on peace-building, stabilization, and sustainable development.
The APC National Chairman, urged delegates to act with urgency in addressing the intertwined security and environmental challenges in the Lake Chad Basin. “I declare this conference closed,” he said.
