NESREA, Taraba ACReSAL Partner to Strengthen Environmental Protection and Climate Resilience
By Aga Samuel Imoter, Jalingo
The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) and the Taraba State Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) Project have agreed to strengthen collaboration on environmental protection, climate resilience and sustainable development in the state. The commitment was announced during a courtesy visit by the Taraba State Coordinator of NESREA, Oteikwu John, to the ACReSAL State Project Management Unit (SPMU) in Jalingo.
Speaking during the visit, Oteikwu said NESREA, established by an Act of the National Assembly in 2007, is responsible for enforcing environmental laws, regulations and standards across Nigeria. He added that the agency has operated in Taraba State since 2017 and also implements international environmental agreements to which Nigeria is a signatory. He said the visit was aimed at fostering institutional collaboration, promoting information sharing and developing joint strategies to improve environmental governance in the state.
Responding, Taraba ACReSAL State Project Coordinator, Dr. Yakubu Giwa Clement, welcomed the initiative and reaffirmed the project’s commitment to working with NESREA. He said ACReSAL focuses on environmental restoration, watershed management, climate resilience, water resource management, agriculture and institutional capacity development. According to him, the project has completed interventions in three micro-catchments and is expanding to 10 additional catchments across the state.
Officials of the project’s Legal, Environmental Safeguards, and Monitoring and Evaluation units also supported the proposed partnership, emphasising the need for stronger inter-agency cooperation and community engagement. Both organisations pledged to deepen collaboration through joint initiatives, knowledge sharing and coordinated efforts to promote environmental sustainability and climate resilience in Taraba State.
