THE House of Representatives Committee on Ecological Fund has commended the Governor of Gombe State, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, CON, for his administration’s proactive efforts in addressing the ecological challenges confronting the state, particularly those related to gully erosion and climate change.
The commendation was made by the committee during a courtesy call on Governor Inuwa Yahaya at the Gombe Government House on Wednesday as part of engagements during its oversight visit to the state.
The Chairman of the committee, Rt. Hon. Aminu Sani Jaji, remarked that Gombe was the only state they had visited where they observed a true commitment by the government to addressing the effects of climate change.
“Your Excellency, the efforts we’ve seen here are truly commendable. Gombe is the only place where we’ve seen a clear, tangible commitment from the state government in addressing ecological and climate change challenges,” Hon. Jaji remarked.
He also expressed confidence that with continued focus, Gombe could set an example for other states grappling with similar issues, assuring that as a committee they will ensure that the state’s template is adopted by the federal government for implementation in other states with similar challenges.
He announced the selection of Gombe State for the pilot project of the Ecological Fund Office where substantial funds will be allocated to states to tackle the problem of flooding in some local governments, noting that Gombe’s efforts, as recognized by the committee, led to this selection. He assured that the committee would direct relevant agencies under its purview to partner with the state in implementing its ecological control projects.
Addressing the committee, Governor Inuwa Yahaya pointed out that Gombe, being part of the vulnerable Sahel region, is at high risk of desertification and severe environmental degradation.
According to the governor, his administration has adopted a multi-faceted approach to mitigate these challenges, including afforestation programmes, flood control initiatives and strategic partnerships with federal agencies and international organizations.
“We have made significant strides in addressing the ecological problems we face in Gombe State. You may be aware that Gombe has over 214 active gullies spread across the 11 local governments. These gullies negatively impact our environment and the lives of our people. For this reason, upon assuming office in 2019, we made erosion control a cardinal agenda of our administration”, the Governor stated.
“We have always been proactive on the issue of climate change mitigation and environmental conservation. We have developed environmental sustainability initiatives encapsulated in our 10-year development plan, which is in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. Equally, each year, we plant 1 million trees across the state, and this is an ongoing programme. You must have seen the trees everywhere in the state during your tour”, the Governor added.
Governor Inuwa Yahaya further informed his guests that since 2019, his administration has kept to the counterpart funding obligation between the state government and parner bodies such as NEWMAP and ACReSAL, noting that there is still much to be done.
The Governor however, stated that with continued support from the federal government and relevant agencies, Gombe State will overcome these challenges and safeguard its environment for future generations, assuring the committee that his doors are open for partnership with any stakeholder willing to support the state in addressing these challenges.
Earlier on arrival, the committee toured several gully erosion sites across the state to assess the extent of increasing threat of gully erosion and the commitment of Gombe state government on the mitigation projects.