By Sani Idris Abdulrahman

Stakeholders in Kaduna State have made inputs into the ongoing review of the Kaduna State Environment Policy being supported by the Strengthening Peace Resilience in Nigeria (SPRiNG) programme.

The meeting, tagged “Strategic Policy Review Session,” was organised by the Network of Civil Society in Environment (NCSE) to develop a more inclusive, practical and forward-looking policy framework.

The stakeholders said the framework should effectively respond to climate change, environmental degradation and other emerging environmental challenges affecting communities across the state.

Speaking at the meeting, the NCSE Secretary, Zinta Istifanus Akpoko, commended the SPRiNG programme for supporting the review of the Kaduna State Environment Policy.

Akpoko described the exercise as timely and necessary, stressing that current environmental and climate challenges require an updated and responsive policy framework.

According to him, the environment policy serves as a guide for the activities and interventions of civil society organisations operating within the sector.

He added that it was important for the document to remain relevant and responsive to emerging environmental issues and realities.

Also speaking, the Head of Research at NCSE, Jeremiah Elisha, said the review process provides an opportunity for civil society organisations to contribute meaningful recommendations toward strengthening the policy.

Elisha stressed that policies must continue to evolve to remain impactful and capable of addressing emerging environmental crises.

“A policy is only as impactful as its ability to evolve. Continuous reviews ensure it addresses emerging crises like global warming, climate change and environmental degradation,” he said.

The Coordinator of NCSE and Executive Director of Bridge That Gap Initiative, Gloria Kasang Bulus, underscored the need for policies that reflect local realities and community needs.

“We must ensure that we have policies that speak to our local context and realities, not just documents that exist on paper,” Bulus said.

She observed that although Nigeria has climate change frameworks, significant gaps still exist in implementation and citizen ownership.

Bulus stressed the need for a participatory and inclusive review process, warning against approaches that exclude critical stakeholders from policy development.

“This time, we want a policy that everyone contributes to and takes ownership of. Climate change affects all of us, regardless of status, gender or background. So the response must be collective,” she added.

Also at the meeting, the SPRiNG Kaduna State representative, Barau Emmanuel, commended NCSE for supporting the policy review process.

Participants at the session said strengthening Kaduna State’s environmental policy would improve climate resilience, environmental governance and sustainable development across the state.

They added that the review would also enhance community participation in addressing ecological challenges affecting Kaduna communities.