Calabar, Cross River State – In a significant step toward environmental preservation and sustainability, Cross River State Governor, Senator Bassey Edet Otu, signed into law a bill establishing the Climate and Green Economy Commission.
The signing ceremony was held at the Dan Archibong Lodge in Calabar, the state capital, and was attended by top government officials, including the Deputy Governor, Secretary to the State Government, and leadership of the State House of Assembly.
Governor Otu highlighted the importance of the new law, calling it “another bold step by my administration to engender a sustainable environment through the protection of the rich and yet fragile ecosystem of Cross River State.”
The governor stressed that the law’s primary aim is to safeguard the biodiversity of Cross River, home to Nigeria’s largest rainforest, while promoting sustainable development.
“For us in Cross River State, environmental consciousness is simply our way of life,” Governor Otu said. “Almost all our actions are guided by the principle of ‘Living at Peace with Nature.’ This consciousness has greatly contributed to mitigating natural disasters our region is prone to, as we’ve halted and reversed deforestation by promoting sustainable farming practices.”
According to Governor Otu, the state’s strategy is grounded in regeneration, with efforts such as planting millions of trees and adopting controlled logging to restore biodiversity.
“When our forests and biodiversity hotspots are protected, carbon is absorbed, biodiversity flourishes, and the air is purified for our well-being,” he explained.
The governor emphasised that signing the Climate and Green Economy Bill is a sign of “our renewed drive towards the Nature-Positive Strategy (NPS),” which aims to strengthen forest resilience by reversing habitat loss and building a robust green economy.
Earlier, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Elvert Ayambem, commended the legislators for their commitment to the bill’s passage.
He particularly praised the House Committee on Environment, led by Hon. Ovat Agbor, for collaborating with stakeholders to ensure a comprehensive legislative framework.
With this commission, Cross River State becomes Nigeria’s first sub-national government to create an official body addressing climate change, positioning itself as a leader in environmental stewardship.
