In Nasarawa, AACJ applauds stakeholders’ locally-led action, pledge to expand footprints

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The African Activists for Climate Justice (AACJ) has commended stakeholders’ locally led actions and adaptations strategies in Nasarawa to combat impacts of climate change on communities in Nasarawa state.

Dr Kenneth Akpan, National Coordinator, AACJ Project in Nigeria gave this commendation at the one-day Stakeholders Reflection Meeting in Lafia.

Dr Akpan said he was impressed with the communities level of engagement and the taking ownership of AACJ Project, noting that it was a good report for locally led adaptation.

“ACCJ in Nigeria, Nasarawa state most especially has been impressive, for me personally, I heard so much coming out from the stakeholders who are direct beneficiaries of this intervention.

“And I’m also very happy to note most importantly that there’s that responsibility from these people as they started taking ownership of the AACJ project activities.

“For example the briquettes making, i understand that some of them have even gone commercial, because the knowledge was actually to teach them on how to use this and turn it into energy for their home use,” he said.

The Coordinator said he was happy with the success story of the commercial aspect of the briquettes production that has already begun in Nasarawa state.

“And also very impressive is angle of nursery management, communities were able to constitute nursery management committee and even set timetable for themselves to monitor and water the nursery,” he said.

The coordinator said ACCJ had achieved its purpose even beyond its set target, he, however said it looked forward to deepening its engagement with the governments and increasing synergy to expand their footprints in 2024.

Also speaking, Executive Secretary, YMCA Mada Hills, Mr Ango Adamu, said the meeting became necessary to reflect and review activities of AACJ to allow people to constructively criticise what they have done so as to use the review to improve next year projects.

“We didn’t want to say our success ourselves, we brought students teachers, communities nursery leaders, traditional rulers who testified on the empowerment we have done on briquettes production, schools debate, nursery establishment in 9 communities with 13,500 oil palm seedlings.

“From all indication people are calling for extension of community nursery, which is very key, they are also calling for stepping down training for all we have achieved so that we can reach out to more communities,” he said.

Adamu, while thanking the partners for prompt release of funds, said
AACJ is a Pan Africa project, which is being funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and carried out by OXFAM through the YMCA and Association of Small Scale Agro Producers in Nigeria (ASSAPIN) in Nasarawa state.

“The ACCJ partners in Abuja especially the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs who are the funding of ACCJ Project in Africa, approved our budget and send funds through Oxfam in Nigeria for us to implement and touch lives of people in Nigeria,” he said.

Joshua Jonathan, National President, ASSAPIN, while thanking ACCJ National coordinator, Kenneth Akpan for effective monitoring, said climate change associated with food crises.

“Many people go to bed without food, that’s why we take up this challenge to talk about justice, every person that lives has right to food, so, let’s face this challenge squarely in terms of putting mitigating and adaptation to be able to have foods,” he said.

Also speaking, a stakeholder Angbashim Ishaku, Assistant Director, Climate change, state Ministry of Environment commended YMCA and partners for their efforts and campaign against climate change and pledge to sustain partnership to tackle climate change menu.

Mrs Jummai Yohanna, a stakeholder and Chairperson, Small Scale Women Farmers in Nigeria (SWOFON), appreciated YMCA and partners for training SWOFON members on post harvest loses, inter cropping, pest control, briquettes production and community nursery establishment.

Mrs Yohanna, while testifying improved harvest due to smart agric training she received, appealed to Government to support YMCA to train SWOFON members at the local government level to acquire knowledge and share with others.