The Gombe State Ministry for Water, Environment and Forest Resources has organised a three-day stakeholders retreat on review of the state’s extant law open.
PERISCOPE NIGERIA reports that the retreat holding at the Command Guest House Bauchi would review Gombe State Laws on GOSEPA and Forestry.
Speaking, Alhaji Mohammed Saidu Fawu appreciated stakeholders for honouring the ministry’s invitation despite the short notice stating that history and posterity will be kind to each participant for the input they are going to make in ensuring that the relevant laws to be reviewed meet the yearnings of the people of Gombe State.
He further restated that during the Cop28 conference in Dubai it was agreed that every country has to come up with alternative sources of energy so that the ecosystem will be preserved.
The Commissioner rekindled the tree planting flagged off just a few days ago by Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, “is in the right direction to mitigate the effects of Climate Change as this years effects has been very adverse with all of us bearing the consequences,” the Commissioner added.
He tasked stakeholders and participants to come up with ideas that will aid the review process as the extant laws on GOSEPA and Forestry are archaic with penalties and fines not deterrable to perpatretors of indiscriminate cutting down of trees and other environmental practices that portrays danger to the Environment.
Fawu used the opportunity to appreciate the Gombe State Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes project under the leadership of the Project Coordinator Dr Sani Adamu Jauro for supporting the ministry in the review task.
Stakeholders present while delivering their goodwill messages expressed satisfaction for the foresight of the ministry for organising the retreat to review the extant laws as it is timely and in the right direction.
The Chairman Gombe State House Committee on Water And Environment Hon.Musa Manaja Zambuk, and other members of the Committee, The State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice Hon. Barr. Zubairu M. Umar his Counterpart in The Ministry of Special Duties and Regional Integration Hon. Shehu Y. Abdullahi, Health Dr. Habu Dahiru and Women Affairs Hon. Asmau M. Iganus and also Special Adviser to the Governor on Ecology and Environment Hon. Muazu A. Garba, Chairman Gombe LGA and ALGON Chairman Gombe State Hon. Barr. Sani Ahmed Haruna, Permanent Secretarys, Executive Secretary GOSEPA Dr. Auwalu Baba Jada, Traditional and Religious Leaders, Directors, Representatives of Federal MDAs notably Environment and NESREA, NGOs,PWDs, security personnel and other staff of the ministry and ACReSAL SPMU attended the high-level retreat.
Amos Pononyamba Fabulous
Information Officer
MOWE&FR.
