Isiyaku Ahmed
The Kano State Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, in collaboration with the Partnership for Agile Governance and Climate Change (PACE), on Thursday at Porto Golf Hotel, hosted a high-level stakeholder sensitization session on the implementation of the state’s climate change policy.
The policy aligns Kano State with national and international climate commitments, including the Paris Agreement and Nigeria’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) that promote a low-carbon, climate-resilient, and gender-responsive socio-economic development path.
Key thematic areas of the policy include agriculture, energy, education, flood and erosion control, forest and land use management, health, industrial processes and product use, short-lived climate pollutants, urban development, transport, and waste management.
Kano State Commissioner for Environment and Climate Change, Dr. Dahir Muhammad Hashim, represented at the sensitization session by his Technical Adviser on Climate Change, Prof. Aliyu Baba Nabegu, said climate change has already altered the way people live, emphasizing the urgent need for action to mitigate its impact.
The Technical Adviser on Climate Change at the sensitization session
“I must commend our partners, PACE, for their unwavering support in developing and promoting this policy. Your expertise and collaboration have been invaluable.
“Let me also emphasize that this policy is not just a government document; it is a people’s plan.
“Its success depends on the commitment of every stakeholder here today, from government agencies to civil society, from development partners to local communities.
“Together, we must move from policy to action.
“Let us raise awareness, mobilize resources, and ensure that no one is left behind in our efforts to safeguard the environment for future generations,” the Commissioner added.
Delivering a goodwill message, Abdulkadir Salisu Kabara, the State Team Lead of the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) Lafiya Program, commended the state government’s efforts. He noted that climate change remains a priority for the Lafiya Program because of its direct impact on the health sector.
“About 29% of Nigeria’s national disease burden is linked to environmental risk factors,” he stated, adding that effective policy implementation must include public participation.
Yunusa Hamza, Policy Facilitator with PropCom Plus, highlighted their role in the development of the climate policy and reaffirmed continued support.
“We are committed to ensuring that this policy receives the attention and resources it needs,” he said.
Also speaking, Obi Ugochuku, Adviser on Climate Finance with PACE Kano, noted that significant progress has been made since the policy document was published.
He said the government has integrated relevant sectoral policies and established a working group to ensure smooth implementation.
In essence, the Kano State climate change policy offers a strategic framework for advancing sustainable development while protecting people and the environment from the adverse effects of climate change.
The State Team Lead, PACE, Auwalu Hamza said: “The Policy is instructive, promoting a deliberate effort at both mitigation and adaptation, and in joining the global community in this drive for a safer, more livable world.
“Kano State Government should be congratulated for this.”
He said the sensitization session will unveil the State Steering Committee and Technical Working Groups; in addition, there is a Secretariat.
“Here are a few points to note in support of the Kano State Government’s effort at providing the ‘working environment to aid the actualization of the set goals in the policy.
“The Ministry for Environment is now called the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change; there is WECCMA, an agency with the mandate for addressing climate change-related issues.
“The 2025 Budget is Climate Change tagged, which means there are clear, deliberate climate change-related expenditure items in the Budget.
“A cross-section of the community (Civil Society, Traditional institutions, Academia, Media, People with Disabilities) is involved in the process that led to the development of the Policy; they are also engaged in the development of an implementation plan,” he added.
The high point of the session is the discussion on the proposed implementation structure (Committees, Secretariat, and the Technical Working Groups; roles and expectations).
The Acting Permanent Secretary, Kano State Ministry of Planning and Budget, Abdulmumin Ladan Ajumawa, said the sensitization session allowed participants to reflect on the overview of the policy and its content.
He, however, said the implementation structures are cumbersome and therefore need to be streamlined and condensed to the Technical Working Group and State Steering Committee.
Ajumawa also noted that funding is not provided for the structure in the implementation plan.
The event had Commissioners, Directors, and other officials from Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) and the media in attendance.
