Pledges Assembly’s Support for State Climate Action Plan
The Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adeoye Aribasoye, has assured that the legislature will ensure that resources are maximised for climate action plan in the state.
He also affirmed that the House of Assembly will “enact the necessary laws, ask the hard questions, and stand by the environmental stakeholders” to ensure the action plan comes to fruition.
In his remarks at the launch of the Ekiti State Climate Action Plan, held at the Assembly Chambers in Ado Ekiti on Thursday, Rt. Hon. Aribasoye raised concerns about the impacts of climate change in the state, noting that farming activities and critical aspects of life have been negatively affected.
“The climate imperative in Ekiti is not a distant specter; it is a pressing reality that affects every facet of life in Ekiti. Our farmers in Ikole face unpredictable weather patterns, our traders in Ado-Ekiti contend with environmental degradation, and our children bear the brunt of air pollution. Deforestation has ravaged our forests, while erratic rainfall disrupts our agricultural cycles.” He lamented.
He, however, acknowledged that the state has been tackling these challenges frontally, recalling that, in July 2024, the state secured the fourth position in Nigeria’s inaugural Subnational Climate Governance Performance Ranking.
This achievement, he said, was due to the state’s efforts in tree planting, emission control, and climate education.
Aribasoye described the action plan drawn up by the State Ministry of Environment as “an essential stride towards a cleaner, safer, and more resilient Ekiti,” adding that the document represents a commitment to the people, the land, and the future.
The lawmaker underlined the Climate Change Act of 2021, the Ekiti State Environmental Protection Law of 2009, and the Environmental Health and Sanitation Law as key legislative inputs structured around governance and financing, public engagement, mitigation, adaptation, and resilience—five key pillars.
The Speaker said it was cheering that the current administration has demonstrated ample commitment through campaigns for the planting of two million trees, vehicular emission regulation, relevant youth enlightenment campaigns, biodiversity conservation, among other key actions that are yielding positive outcomes.
He called for the intensive use of technology to push the action plan through and align with global strategies for environmental management, promising that the state legislature will continue to optimize its role in making laws, overseeing implementation, and ensuring public engagement to support the action plan.
Babajide Agbeyo
Special Adviser (Media) to the Speaker, Ekiti State House of Assembly