FG concerned about revitalising Lake Chad Basin – Osinbajo

The Federal Government says it will ensure the recharging and revitalisation of the Lake Chad Basin so as to effectively tackle the issues of security, livelihood and development of the region.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo’s spokesman, Laolu Akande, stated this when the vice president received a delegation from the National Defence College (NDC) comprising Course 27 participants on Monday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The participants, who presented Osinbajo with their annual report, also made a presentation on “Water Resource Management and Regional Security: Lake Chad in perspective”.

Osinbajo said that the issue of the Lake Chad Basin was of great concern to President Muhammadu Buhari whom he noted had been advocating for the recharging of the basin so as to tackle the attendant challenges.

He commended the participants of NDC Course 27 for the clarity of their presentation and recommendations in tackling the issues.

The vice president said that their research work had introduced some fresh ideas and fresh thinking into what the Federal Government hoped to be focusing on in the Lake Chad Basin.

“I am particularly struck by the research that you have done on the Lake Chad Basin.

“I want to say that the quality and clarity of the research work, and the recommendations made, demonstrate that there is a lot of resource that we can tap in.

“We look for best practices everywhere; so, it is a pleasure to see presentations done with much clarity and understanding. Being something of great concern to Mr President, I think that he will be very excited to hear that we, at least, have a number of options.

“You know how much time and attention the President has paid to this issue, not just locally, but also in the Lake Chad Basin Commission. He has spent a lot of time trying to advocate for recharging the Lake Chad, so as to settle the matter once and for all,” he said.

The vice president said Nigeria would have further consultations with foreign partners and friends to tackle the issues in the region.

He said he was impressed by the fact that the participants had a comparative analysis which appeared to be an advantage.

Osinbajo said he was glad that the participants had something that was workable and worth the time.

The Lake Chad Basin Commission member countries include Nigeria, Chad, Niger, Cameroon and the Central African Republic.

Member countries are collaborating to proffer solutions to security, environmental and socio-economic challenges as a result of the shrinking of the Lake Chad.