NGO, Benue Govt Push For Stronger Climate Laws, Resilience Framework

International Alert, a global peacebuilding organisation, in partnership with the Benue State Government, has renewed its commitment to strengthening climate governance and enhancing resilience across communities most vulnerable to climate shocks in the state.

The effort was reinforced during a one-day engagement themed “Strengthening Legislative Leadership for Developing Climate Change Resilience and Carbon Budgeting in Benue State,” held yesterday in Abuja.

The session brought together lawmakers of the 10th Benue State House of Assembly, members of the Benue State Council on Climate Change (BSCCC), ministries, civil society groups, and international development partners.

Speaking at the event, Governor Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia highlighted the deepening connection between climate change and the worsening security challenges in Benue State.

Represented by his principal private secretary, Dr. Emmanuel Chenge, the governor explained that Benue has been one of the most affected states in Nigeria by climate-induced crises.

He linked the origins of the farmer–herder conflict to climate pressures in the far north, noting that droughts and desert encroachment have pushed herders southward in search of fertile land.

“Benue, with its rich soils and major rivers, became a target,” he said. “What followed were attempts to displace landowners, leading to killings, displacement, and prolonged insecurity.”

Alia emphasized that empowering lawmakers with climate knowledge is critical to passing legislation that supports the state’s climate resilience and security agenda.

He expressed optimism that the insights gained would help lawmakers champion timely and effective climate laws.

The director general of the BSCCC, Aondofa Mailumo, described the training as a crucial step toward protecting the state’s environmental future. He warned that Benue—Nigeria’s food basket—is already grappling with erratic rainfall, flooding, rising temperatures, erosion, and declining soil fertility.

Mailumo added that farmers, who drive the state’s economy, face increasing vulnerabilities and called for urgent mitigation and adaptation interventions.

He also identified inadequate financing as a major obstacle, emphasising that limited government allocations cannot adequately address the scale of climate challenges.

International Alert’s country director, Kingsley Udo, noted that climate change is increasingly intersecting with conflict in Benue, particularly in competition for land and dwindling natural resources.

He described the Benue State Climate Change Council as a “visionary structure” for coordinated climate governance and emphasised the central role of lawmakers in transforming climate policies into actionable, well-funded programs.

Udo reaffirmed International Alert’s commitment to supporting the state in addressing climate risks, strengthening social cohesion, and building long-term resilience.