Abia embarks on mainstreaming climate change actions in forest reserves

The Abia State Government has embarked on mainstreaming of climate change actions within all relevant sectors of the economy.

Philemon Asonye Ogbonna, Commissioner for Environment, said this in Umuahia when he led a delegation from the National Council on Climate change Secretariat (NCCCS) to some of the forest reserves in state for technical assessment visit and adoption of nature-based solutions for climate change in the state.

Ogbonna said that the Governor Alex Otti-led administration was geared towards revitalising all the sectors of the state, including the forest reserves that had been abandoned by the past administrations.

The commissioner said that the state was exploring innovative ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and transition to a low-carbon economy.

He noted that the mangroves were important to the ecosystem and their dense roots help to bind and build the soil.

The environment boss lauded the leadership and the vigilante group of the Ohambele community (one of the forest reserve host communities) for their doggedness and commitment in safeguarding the forest reserve and assured them that there were upcoming projects that would be of great benefit to the entire community.

Earlier in her speech, Nkiruka Maduekwe, director general and chief executive of NCCCS, said that they were on the visit to the mangrove forests located majorly in the Niger Delta region of the country, which Abia is one of them, and they reserved Abia for the last visit because it is the best among the rest in the region.

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Maduekwe said that the assessment would impact climate change on the mangroves, foster collaboration in driving reforestation and conservation of the mangrove, socialise the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and the carbon market policy.

These, she noted, would showcase a comprehensive strategy to enhance the understanding of ecosystem services, strengthen local partnership for sustainable mangrove conservation, inform carbon credit systems, and foster disaster risk reduction to develop financing strategies for the benefit of the state.

She noted that it was only in Abia that they saw wet land, which she said conserves biodiversity. Maduekwe said that moreover, the team made some observations in the forest, which included; the carbon credits that are of international focus.

She disclosed that the identified items have qualified the state as one of the pilot states in the forthcoming national project.

The NCCCS chief executive assured the communities that the incentives , benefits and compensation they are requesting for, are all captured in the Climate Change fund for assessment, which is enshrined in the Climate Change Act.

She donated eleven pairs of forest boots to the vigilante group to foster their work in the forest.

Enyinnaya 0kere, prime minister of Ohambele community, in response, thanked the commissioner and his entourage for choosing their community for the assessment.

He said that they were ready to partner with the government in all aspects for a more fruitful dividend from the reserve.

Communities visited include; Ohambele in Ukwa East and Isiugwu Community in Ohafia LGA.