Abuja — President Olusegun Obasanjo has set up a National Council on Shelter Belt and Afforestation, to prepare an action plan for a national green belt as well as the implementation guidelines.

The Council was set up during a meeting held at State House, Monday to take urgent steps aimed at checking the rapid deforestation and desert encroachment in the northern states of the country.

The President said this was a national emergency which required the involvement and participation of all Nigerians, adding that other environmental problems such as gully and coastal erosion should be classified as national emergencies.

Vice President Atiku Abubakar is the chairman of the Council. Members include the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Audu Ogbeh; governors of Borno, Kebbi, Jigawa, Yobe, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, Zamfara, bauchi, Gombe and Adamawa states and chairman, Senate Committee on Environment.

Others are the Ministers of Environment, Water Resources, Agriculture, Women Affairs, Solid Minerals, Special Duties and Finance (State); Dr Shettima Mustapha, Coordinator National Tree Nursery Development Programme; Director-General, National Orientation Agency, Chief of Army Staff and the Chief of Air Staff.