Kwara State governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on Wednesday said his administration would continue to commit resources and collaborate with relevant organisations to tackle the challenges of climate change and encourage community acceptance for government options.
AbdulRazaq stated this in Ilorin, the state capital, at a stakeholders’ engagement and sensitisation on climate change policy and action plan for the state.
The event with the theme: “Fostering a Healthier Environment through Action on Pollution and Climate Resilience for Sustainable Living”, was attended by the stakeholders in the environmental sector including members of the state executive council, media practitioners, environmental experts, religious leaders, marketers and transporters, amongst others.
“The reality of climate change, though global, is now a part of our days and livelihood, especially because of unchecked negative human interference on the environment through activities that encourage greenhouse gas emission as it occurs with felling of trees and burning them for charcoal production, refuse burning and indiscriminate waste disposal into water channels and drainages, amongst many of such acts,” the Governor said.
Represented by his Senior Adviser / Counsellor, Alh Saadu Salahu, the Kwara State governor highlighted the consequences of climate change, noting they were beyond unkempt, unsafe, and unhygienic community outlook, which promotes diseases and deters progress.
He said that poor management of the environment also affects farm yields, crop production, and food security on account of erratic rainfall patterns and negative impact on overall well-being of everyone.
“You would recall that as a state, we are supporting the use of clean energy in the form of compressed natural gas. We paid relevant counterpart funds to key into the World Bank Supported Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscape (ACRESAL) Project through which climate specific interventions are being undertaken to combat afforestation, reclaim degraded lands, support agricultural development and environmental friendly initiatives,” he said.
AbdulRazaq said the stakeholders’ engagement and sensitisation meeting was organised to align the state with Goal-13 of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals.
He assured that his administration remains committed to elevating the status of the communities, their infrastructure and their people.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Environment, Hon Nafisat Musa Buge said the programme was part of the concluding phase of additional efforts by the ministry to engage the public and organised groups that are directly or indirectly related to the environmental sector in the state.
She said the apparent increase in population within the state, especially the metropolis, calls for necessary actions, plans, and eventual adoption of effective strategies to address the inevitable challenges being encountered and that will be encountered.
