The Abia State Government says it has concluded work on its Climate Change Policy, a move expected to position the state for international climate financing and strengthen measures to tackle environmental challenges in the state.
The Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, disclosed this on Tuesday, while briefing Journalists on the outcome of this week’s Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Alex Otti.
Prince Kanu who disclosed that the policy document is awaiting the governor’s approval before becoming operational, said the policy would provide a comprehensive framework for addressing climate-related challenges and position Abia to access international climate funding.
“The Abia State Climate Change Policy Document is ready for sign-off by His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Abia State.
“As soon as the Governor signs off on that document and it becomes operational, the international community will begin to take Abia State more seriously in the state’s efforts to combat climate change, particularly with regards to opening up of several climate funding opportunities across sectors in the state”, the commissioner stated.
According to him, the implementation of the policy would help address environmental challenges such as flooding, erosion, heat waves, health-related climate impacts and declining food security, while promoting sustainable development.
“The implementation of the policy will reduce climate issues in Abia State, for example, in such areas as health, flood, erosion, heat waves, decline in food security, among others, while guaranteeing sustainability”, Prince Kanu stated.
The commissioner also announced that the governor has directed the Ministry of Environment to immediately deploy mitigation measures at the Amamba Uzuakoli erosion site in Bende Local Government Area and the Ipupe Ubakala flood site in Umuahia South Local Government Area to prevent further environmental degradation.
He said the Commissioner for Environment and a team of engineers had already carried out on-the-spot assessments, adding that efforts were underway to commence mitigation works to recover lost land and protect lives and property.
On environmental sanitation, Prince Kanu said the Ministry of Environment sustained its house-to-house sanitary inspection programme across the state’s 17 local government areas during the period under review.
The commissioner disclosed that 103 villages were visited for environmental health education, sensitisation and sanitary inspections, while about 9,000 premises were inspected for compliance with environmental health standards.
The commissioner added that 37,500 premises were assigned with abatement notices for environmental health violations while 2,500 premises achieved compliance and follow-up inspections.
He attributed the environmental sanitation progress of the State to sustained enforcement by health officials and increasing public cooperation with government initiatives aimed at maintaining a cleaner and healthier environment.
“With these sanitary inspection interventions, Abia State continues to score very highly in environmental cleanliness among the comity of states in the country”, he said.
