The Minister of Environment, Alhaji Muhammad Abdullahi, saya the federal government has so far restored over 6 million hectares of land in hitherto degraded lands.
The Minister during a news briefing on the activities of his ministry, listed the affected states to include; Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Jigawa, Bauchi, Kano, Sokoto, Zamfara, Gombe, and Kebbi.
The Federal Government, in conjunction with governments of states affected by desert-encroachment, had planted more than 5 million assorted trees to arrest desertification, he said.
Also, the Government spent N315 million in providing skills and training to 400 Ogoni women in agro-business.
In addition to training the women, Alhaji Abdullahi continued, the Federal Government distributed fingerings, okro, cucumber, sweet corn seeds, and fish feed to 10 cooperative groups across the four local government areas of Ogoniland to sustain their businesses.
On the steps taken by Government to avert flooding, he said frontline state governments needed to compliment the efforts of the federal authorities by opening up blockages that cause flooding.
Reporting by Abdullah Bello; Editing by Abdullahi Lamino and Julian Osamoto, Tony Okerafor