From Abdulwahab Muhammad, Bauchi
Gombe State has received an award, emerging with an AA rating in the Climate Governance Performance Ranking among the 36 states of Nigeria.
TheNewsZenith reports that the Federal Government in collaboration with the Society for Planet and Prosperity (SPP) organised the award in Abuja.
Gombe State ranked second in the country, accumulating 128 points, just behind Lagos. Ebonyi, Borno and Ekiti States followed in third and fourth positions respectively.
Organisers of the awards based the ranking on five themes, which include climate change institutional arrangements and administrative structures.
Others are climate policy and action plans, climate budget and finance, implementation and monitoring, and online visibility concerning climate action.
In all these parameters, Gombe State ranked high.
This reflects its commitment to addressing climate change and promoting environmental sustainability.
The Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawan, who chaired the event, said this is the first-ever rating and ranking of climate governance performance among states.
“It is to promote climate awareness and encourage greater action at the subnational level,” Lawan said.
He commended the high-performing states for their significant strides in climate change action.
Read Related News:
Flood Prevention: Gov. Yahaya flags-off desilting Gombe drainages
Climate Change: FG earmarks N130bn for action plans
Gombe seeks partnership with Morocco on aquaculture potentials
IFAD grants additional $5m to Nigeria on climate-resilient agriculture
Africa faces looming temperature rise, threatening food security
TheNewsZenith reports that the state Commissioner for Environment, Water and Forest Resources, Mohammed Fawu, represented the governor at the event.
He expressed gratitude to the Federal Government for recognising the state’s achievements in climate change action.
The award, the governor said, would motivate his administration to intensify its efforts in environmental sustainability.
Mohammed used the occasion to provide an overview of his administration’s efforts to address climate action, combat land degradation and support livelihoods in Gombe.
To address climate action, combat land degradation, and support livelihoods, he said his government launched the Gombe Goes Green project (3G) in 2019.
The 3G project is in pursuit of aggressive reforestation and natural regeneration efforts.
He explained that the project sets an ambitious target of planting and nurturing at least one million trees annually.
It will also provide direct employment to thousands of individuals, mainly youth, who engage in tree planting and nurturing.
“The pilot phase, which began in June 2019, has successfully planted four million assorted seedlings in various parts of the state,” he said.
Do you have a flair for Citizenship Journalism? Share stories of happenings in your area with TheNewsZenith on WhatsApp: 08033668669 or thenewszenithonline@gmail.com. Also, follow us on www.tiktok.com/@thenewszenithonline
