By Esther Akaa, Lafia
Stakeholders in the environment sector have advocated for a workable policy to achieve long-term goals on climate change adaptation and mitigation in Nasarawa State.
This position was reached during a one-day public hearing on climate change bill organised by the Nasarawa State Assembly in Lafia.
Participants at the interactive session made submissions that will enhance the mobilisation of finance and other resources necessary to ensure climate change policies and actions are integrated to promote socioeconomic development and environmental integrity.
Speaking during the public hearing, the Executive Director, Global Initiative for Food Security and Ecosystem Preservation (GIFSEP), Dr David Michael said Nasarawa State was vulnerable to climate change owing to human and industrial activities.
He explained that such activities like cutting down of trees, flooding and others were affecting the environment negatively.
The Executive Director called on government and the governed to ensure that measures such as people friendly policies are initiated to mitigate climate change for the progress of the state.
Also speaking, Director General, Nasarawa State Waste Management and Sanitation Authority, Hon Muhammad Isa called for synergy among the line Ministries , Departments and Agencies ( MDAs) in the state to enable the full implementation of the law when finally passed.
On his part, Chief Executive Officer, Ecosphere Blue Green Solution, Alhassan Hussaini stressed the need for the bill to capture the issue of water ways blockages, dumping of refuse in rivers, falling of trees and bush burning noting that all these affect climate change.
The Speaker, Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Danladi Jatau, represented by the Member representing Doma South Constituency, Hon Musa Abubakar condemned the negative human activities causing a lot of havoc to the general well being and safety of both human and animals as well as environmental degradation.
The Speaker lamented the negative effects of climate change and called for deliberate efforts to mitigate the effect of climate change in the society.
” Climate Change has become a serious issue of concern among the comity of nations, hence the need to join forces together to come out with workable laws that will help mitigate the devastating effects of the menace.
” The international community is worried about the situation and is working hard to provide solution to the issue, Nasarawa State can not be seen watching, that is what informed the decision of the assembly to come up with this law,” he said.
The private member bill was sponsored by the Chairman of the Housing and Environment Committee, Hon. Mohammed Adamu Omadefu in partnership with GIFSEP and OXFAM.
The Chairman of the Committee on Environment and sponsor of the bill, Hon Mohammed Omadefu, represented by the Deputy Chairman of the committee, Hon Musa Ibrahim said the bill was developed in partnership with GIFSEP and OXFAM, international NGOs charged with the responsibility of environmental issues.
He said ” The bill came about after discussion with the NGOs and I deem it necessary for the state to have the bill that will help to mitigate the effect of climate change in the state”.
According to him, the bill when passed into law, would enable the State to be part of states that will benefit from the international climate financing that will soon come to effect.