By Abdulateef Taiwo
Gombe State is taking advantage of the ongoing 27th UN Climate Change Conference in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt to engage stakeholders towards implementing solutions to local challenges caused by climate change in the state.
The summit, tagged COP 27, brought together leaders in government, civil society, industry, and finance from around the world to raise ambition and accelerate action to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
As a flag bearer in environmental management, Gombe State is sharing with the international community, the successes recorded by Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya in the areas of afforestation and reforestation, especially under the Gombe Goes Green (3G) flagship project.
Gombe State is being represented at the International conference by the Commissioner of Environment and Forest Resources, Alh. Shehu Ibrahim Madugu and Gombe State Coordinator of Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) Project , Dr. Sani Adamu Jauro.
The Gombe delegation met with key stakeholders on the sidelines of the conference where they shared experience and sought for partnership in addressing numerous environmental challenges in Gombe State.
According to Shehu Madugu, the environment is a priority of Inuwa Yahaya administration, explaining to his hosts, that the unwavering commitment of the Governor to environmental sustainability inspired the State to initiate the largest and most comprehensive environmental restoration project in the North East subregion, the Gombe Goes Green (3G) under which at least 1 million trees are being planted annually.
“So far about 4 million trees have been planted, through which 364 hectares of degraded land have been recovered while Gully erosion control works are also ongoing across the State together with the Network-11-100 road revolution project which has so far seen the construction of over 500km of roads”.
The Commissioner of Environment assured that Gombe is committed to the protection and improvement of the environment as well as safeguarding the forests and wildlife of the state, and therefore welcomes partnerships that will strengthen its environmental sustainability plan which is the cornerstone of its development .