Kefas launches Taraba climate change policy, action plan

JALINGO — Governor Agbu Kefas of Taraba State on Friday launched the state’s Climate Change Policy and Action Plan, calling for collective action across all sectors to build an environmentally sustainable and climate-resilient state.

Unveiling the policy document in Jalingo, Kefas said the framework marked a critical step towards determining the state’s environmental future, particularly the preservation of its forests, rivers and other natural resources.

He warned that climate change was already affecting agriculture and local communities through unpredictable rainfall patterns and drying water bodies, stressing that any climate framework that failed to support farmers would not achieve its purpose.

Kefas said, “We are taking the decision about the future of Taraba. We are deciding whether our forests will still be standing and whether our rivers will still be flowing.

“The success of this policy will no longer be measured by the number of conferences or workshops organised, but by tangible changes in our communities.”

The governor directed local government councils to play a central role in implementing the policy to address grassroots environmental challenges, including flooding and bush burning.

He also called on the Federal Government, the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC) and international partners to support the state’s green initiatives.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Environment and Climate Change, Hajiya Aishat Barde, described the launch as the beginning of a coordinated and measurable era of climate action in Taraba.

Barde said the cross-cutting policy covered sectors including health, education and infrastructure, urging ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), traditional institutions, the private sector and community groups to take ownership of the initiative.

She commended Natural Eco Capital, the Society for Planet and Prosperity, and the African Climate Foundation for providing technical and financial support towards the formulation of the policy.