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By Sylvanus Viashima, Jalingo
The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) has paid a courtesy visit to the Taraba State Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) State Project Management Unit (SPMU), seeking stronger collaboration to enhance environmental protection and sustainable development in the state.
Speaking during the visit to ACReSAL in Jalingo, the Taraba State Coordinator of NESREA, Mr. Mr Oteikwu John, said the agency was established in 2007 through an Act of the National Assembly during the administration of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and has been operating in Taraba State since 2017.
He explained that NESREA is mandated to enforce environmental laws, regulations, standards, policies and guidelines, as well as regulate activities and technologies that threaten environmental quality. According to him, the agency also implements international environmental conventions, treaties and protocols to which Nigeria is a signatory.
“Some of our regulations, including those on ozone layer protection and air quality, are domesticated from international environmental instruments,” he said.
Mr. John commended the warm reception accorded him by the Taraba ACReSAL team and said the visit was aimed at establishing a strong working relationship between the two organisations.
“We are here to see how we can work together and complement the good work ACReSAL is doing in Taraba State. We seek your support and hope to be carried along in relevant activities. Environmental law enforcement is about protecting the environment, and through collaboration and data sharing, we can achieve greater results,” he stated.»
Responding, the Taraba ACReSAL State Project Coordinator, Dr. Yakubu Giwa Clement, welcomed the delegation and assured NESREA of the project’s readiness to build a productive partnership for the benefit of the state.
Dr. Clement described ACReSAL as a project that is still widely misunderstood, noting that many people mistakenly believe it is primarily meant for distributing funds. He explained that ACReSAL is a multi-sectoral project covering the environment, water resources and agriculture, with a mandate that focuses on environmental restoration, watershed management, climate resilience, capacity building and emergency response.
He disclosed that ACReSAL has intervened in three micro catchments and is expanding its interventions to ten more across the state. He stressed that proper watershed management and environmental conservation remain essential in addressing the effects of climate change, including environmental degradation and threats to natural ecosystems.
Other officials of Taraba ACReSAL, including the heads of the Legal, Environmental Safeguards and Monitoring and Evaluation units, welcomed the proposed partnership. They emphasised the importance of collaboration among environmental institutions, effective community engagement through the project’s Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM), and joint efforts to safeguard the environment and promote sustainable development.
The visit ended with both organisations reaffirming their commitment to strengthening cooperation in environmental protection, climate resilience and sustainable development across Taraba State.
