The Katsina State Government says its environmental policies are already transforming the lives of citizens, driven by a strong and sustained partnership with the Federal Ministry of Environment.
This was disclosed on Wednesday in Katsina by the Deputy Governor, Faruk Lawal-Jobe, at the opening of the 18th National Council on Environment (NCE) meeting.
Lawal-Jobe said the collaboration had strengthened institutional synergy, promoted national cohesion and encouraged the exchange of best environmental practices across the country.
He stressed that environmental sustainability remained central to the state’s development agenda.
“We recognize the critical role of environmental sustainability in achieving economic growth and improving the quality of life of our people,” the deputy governor said.
According to him, the current administration has prioritized initiatives aimed at combating desertification, promoting afforestation and protecting fragile ecosystems.
He said the state Ministry of Environment recently raised and distributed three million seedlings of indigenous economic tree species, which were planted in areas most affected by desertification.
Lawal-Jobe added that farmers were being encouraged to adopt the Taungya farming system within well-secured forest reserves to enhance forest regeneration while boosting agricultural productivity.
“To strengthen environmental sanitation and hygiene, the state government procured and distributed mobile environmental sanitation equipment across the state,” he said.
The deputy governor noted that the intervention had contributed to a significant decline in cholera and other water- and airborne-related diseases.
He disclosed that statutory ecological funds had been effectively deployed to construct and maintain drainage systems in both urban and rural communities.
According to him, these projects have helped curb the recurrence of devastating floods and erosion across the state.
“In its efforts to address drought and ensure food security, the state has revitalized irrigation schemes and distributed solar-powered water pumps, farm machinery and agricultural inputs to farmers,” he said.
Lawal-Jobe also said that, considering the arid nature of Katsina’s environment, the government had established Community-Driven Environmental Protection Initiatives and created the Katsina State Erosion and Watershed Management Agency (KEWMA).
He noted that the interventions align with the administration’s broader goal of inclusive and sustainable development across all 361 political wards in the state.
