As climate change, land degradation and environmental pollution continue to threaten livelihoods across Nigeria, government institutions are increasingly embracing collaboration as a strategy for promoting sustainable development.
In Taraba state, this renewed commitment was evident as the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) initiated a partnership with the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) State Project Management Unit to enhance environmental governance and climate resilience.
The move came during a courtesy visit by the Taraba state coordinator of NESREA, Mr. John Twasshue, to the ACReSAL Conference Hall in Jalingo, where both organisations pledged to deepen cooperation in protecting the environment and addressing the growing challenges posed by climate change.
Speaking during the meeting, Mr. Twasshue described the visit as the beginning of what he hopes will become a productive institutional partnership capable of delivering lasting environmental benefits for communities across Taraba state.
He explained that NESREA, established through an Act of the National Assembly in 2007 during the administration of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, is the country’s foremost environmental regulatory agency charged with enforcing environmental laws, regulations, standards, policies and guidelines.
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According to him, the agency is also responsible for regulating activities and technologies that threaten environmental quality while ensuring Nigeria complies with international environmental conventions, treaties and protocols.
He noted that several of the agency’s operational regulations, particularly those relating to ozone layer protection and air quality management, were adopted from international environmental agreements signed by Nigeria.
Mr. Twasshue stressed that environmental protection can only be effectively achieved through collaboration among institutions with shared mandates.
“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 said.
Responding, the Taraba state Project Coordinator of ACReSAL, Dr. Yakubu Giwa Clement, welcomed the proposed partnership, describing it as timely and necessary in addressing the state’s environmental challenges.
He observed that despite the growing impact of the project across Taraba State, many residents still misunderstand ACReSAL, often assuming it is primarily a programme for financial empowerment.
Dr. Clement clarified that ACReSAL is a comprehensive multi-sectoral project focusing on environmental restoration, watershed management, climate resilience, agriculture, water resources, institutional capacity development and emergency response.
He explained that the project is designed to restore degraded landscapes, improve ecosystem health and strengthen communities’ ability to adapt to climate change.
According to him, ACReSAL has already implemented interventions in three micro-catchments across Taraba State and is expanding its activities to ten additional catchments as part of efforts to restore vulnerable ecosystems and improve watershed management.
He stressed that proper management of watersheds remains one of the most effective approaches to reducing erosion, conserving water resources, restoring degraded lands and mitigating the effects of climate change.
Other officials of the ACReSAL State Project Management Unit, including heads of the Legal, Environmental Safeguards, and Monitoring and Evaluation units, also welcomed the proposed collaboration.
They highlighted the importance of stronger institutional partnerships, effective community participation through the project’s Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM), and coordinated implementation of environmental policies to ensure sustainable development across the state.
The officials noted that environmental protection requires the collective efforts of regulatory agencies, development partners, government institutions and local communities.
The meeting was observed to have ended with both NESREA and ACReSAL reaffirming their commitment to working together in promoting environmental protection, strengthening climate resilience and supporting sustainable development initiatives in Taraba State.
As environmental challenges continue to intensify due to climate change, deforestation and unsustainable land-use practices, experts believe that partnerships between regulatory agencies and intervention projects such as ACReSAL will play a critical role in safeguarding natural resources and improving the resilience of communities.
For Taraba state, the proposed collaboration signals a renewed determination to combine regulation with practical environmental restoration efforts, ensuring that development goes hand in hand with the protection of the state’s rich natural ecosystems for present and future generations.
