Nigeria validates pilot REDD+ readiness, targets year end to complete strategy development

After the initial hurdles that usually confronts some pilot programmes, which in this case, led to a one year no cost extension, stakeholders including civil society groups, academia, media and community representatives at the end of a two-day validation workshop, held at the Transcorp Hotel, Calabar, Cross River State, South-South, Nigeria, from August 23-24, 2016, endorsed the Integrated Analyses for the pilot Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) for Cross River State.

With the endorsement of the study analyses, Cross River State will now move to develop a REDD+ strategy that will both inform the national strategy and serve as model for other states, particularly Ondo and Nassarawa states that are already eyeing the programme.

Essentially, the strategy will comprise policy reforms, investment priorities, and a related REDD+ implementation framework, with due monitoring and safeguard systems, as called for under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

The strategy also intends to enhance the value of standing forests and to incentivize sustainable forest management through a multi-stakeholder approach and a green development perspective.

Opening session

In her welcome remarks, Commissioner, Ministry of Climate Change and Forestry, Cross River state, Dr. Alice Ekwu, said the state has 50 per cent of rainforest in Nigeria and so qualified for REDD+ programme.

Ekwu explained that the programme has been on ground for the past four years and that much as happened in preparing the state for REDD+ readiness stage which the meeting was set to conclude and move to the investment stage.

She commended the United Nations-Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (UN-REDD+) for using the state as pilot scheme in Nigeria, saying “Cross River State is the firstborn of UN-REDD+ in Nigeria”.

Senior Regional Technical Advisor- United Nations Development Programme/UN-REDD+, Elsie Attafuah, who represents the UNDP, in her remarks, commended the federal and Cross River governments on the pilot programme saying the UN system is committed to the REDD+ programme.

Attafuah noted that climate change present one of the most compelling challenge and that “together we can do something about it”.

Mr. Moses Ama who represents the National Coordinator, REDD+ said the country needs up to date information to be able to develop the state and national strategy development. He added that many states have indicated interest in the programme.

Governor of the state, Prof. Ben Ayade, while declaring the workshop open, said the state has been working for the past four years to drive the process, adding that there is political will and commitment to address environmental issues in the state.

Ayade noted that people have been denied access to the forests in the past eight years, saying the time to reap the result of their patience has come.

“People have been kept off from the forest for eight years, UN-REDD, please i’m in hurry to get this people off”, the governor said.

Govenor Ayade said Cross River is a forest and that there is a Green Bill that seeks to prosecute any house that does not have four trees. He urged the UN to focus on aggressive tree planting.

Besides, that he has attested to a Bill to put an end to use of charcoal in the state and implement the use of rice husks to provide briquette to replace charcoal.

Ayade who dwelled on the controversial ‘super highway’ that has generated much debate locally and internationally, said as an enlightened governor, the project is well thought out than the controversy it has generated.

He added that all the corridors of the super highway will be protected.

While commending the UN-REDD+ for the pilot programme in his state, added that “Cross River is REDD+ ready, we have started the Green Police, the garment factory is ready to produce 3,000 uniforms”.

Technical session

To set the stage for technical discussions after the opening session on day one, Elsie Attafuah, gave a global context, background and objectives of developing a REDD+ strategy while Tony Atah, Nigeria REDD+ Stakeholders Engagement Specialist highlighted the Cross River state perspective of REDD+ and the International Consultant and Team Leader, Prof. Patrick Matakala reeled out the Terms of Reference for analytic studies.

Other presentations were made on Natural resource management and sustainable forest management initiatives for REDD+ in Nigeria with focus on CRS by Veronica Muthui and Simon Adedooyin; presentation report on policy, legal and regulatory enabling environment for REDD+ in Nigeria  with focus on CRS by Sylvester Okonofua; Knowledge Management for REDD+ strategy development process by Sheila Kaka; private sector financing, investment and engagement opportunities for REDD+ in Nigeria with focus on CRS by Gerry Oku; presentation on financing, incentives, benefit sharing and  related financial considerations in Nigeria with focus on CRS by Mr. Kwame Awere-Gyekye and issues and options report for the development of the REDD+ strategy by Prof. Patrick Matalaka.

Participants were divided into five groups to validate the reports anchored by Tony Atah.

International and regional comments

Team Leader and international consultant on CRS- REDD+ Prof. Patrick Matakala in a chat with Ecogreen News after the closing ceremony of the workshop, commended the participants for putting a lot of energy to the work. He said the two-day event was a productive one.

Matakala said the process of CRS REDD+ is amazing because it has engaged the stakeholders. He added that the experience learned during the process will assist other state that wants to participate in REDD+ programme.

Matakala said with the validation of the integrated analyses, Nigeria should be able to come up with a strategy development by November.

Elsie Attafuah, in a chat, also commended all the participants including traditional rulers for the active participation in the workshop, saying the momentum was great.

Traditional rulers view

His Majesty, Otu Fredalene Akandu, Paramount Ruler of Boki, said stakeholder’s engagement should be taken to the communities where the forests are located.

His Majesty, who expressed concern that logging is still going on leading to deforestation, said “I will keep the flag flying” to protect the forest.

He said his predecessor warned him as the crowned chief then, to ensure that they protect the forest as that is the oil for Boki people. He also called for proper enforcement of the forest law in the state.

Similarly, Chief Demian Aria, from Wula Community, Eastern Boki, Boki Local Government of Cross River state, said they are ready to cooperate to protect the forest.

General views

Former Director, Department of Climate Change, Federal Ministry of Environment, Dr Victor Fodeke, expressed happiness on the validation workshop, saying it is an epoch making one.

Fodeke, who went down memory lane, said the journey started six years ago when a former minister of environment who hails from the state and himself went for a programme where he pointed to the minister that the remaining rainforest in Nigeria is located in his state.

He noted that that was what kicked started the CRS REDD+ which gradually is moving to the investment stage.

Immediate head of the Cross River State Forestry Commission, Dr Odinga Odinga, said the programme is making progress with the recent event.

Prof. Austin Ogogo of the department of Forest and Wildlife, University of Calabar, want the government to come protect the forest. He cited the example of Ghana where tress are been tracked from the forest to any market.

Director of Forestry, Federal Ministry of Environment, Mr. Philip Bankole, said the government is ready to support the Cross River state REDD+ programme.

It would be recalled that the Federal Government of Nigeria, reinforced by pioneering efforts from Cross River state, began to engage in REDD+ in 2009 and signed an agreement with the UN-REDD+ Programme in August 2012.

In February 2015, Nigeria’s REDD+ Readiness Programme was extended through 2016, following two years of stakeholder engagement with little progress towards REDD+ strategy.

 

Kayode Aboyeji