CHAIRMAN, Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology, Senator Bukola Saraki, PDP, Kwara Central, said Monday, that Nigeria's biggest challenge at the moment was that of corruption of ideas not of money.

According to him, there is the need to be more professional and reduce government dominance in achieving the project of desertification.

Speaking when he received Dr Newton Jibunoh, a vast scholar and expert in desertification, Senator Saraki, who noted that he was encouraged by Jibunoh's high knowledge and passion for desertification, said:  " Nigeria's biggest challenge is corruption and not just corruption of money but corruption of ideas."

Commending the idea of late President Umaru Musa Yar'adua, who was interested in building trans-Sahara pipeline, Senator Saraki noted that to achieve this good framework, there was need for partnership, where knowledge will be transferred on salient issues that would lead to the success of the great idea, even along with National Assembly Committee on Desertification.

Saraki promised to push for a  Bill for an Act for the establishment of a desertification commission through the Ministry of Environment to actualise it, with partnership with relevant bodies.

He, however, appreciated Jibonuh's willingness to share such rare knowledge he possessed in order to move Nigeria and Africa forward economically.