The Oyo State Government has announced a major improvement in its climate governance performance, moving from the 34th position to the 7th position nationally within one year.
The achievement was revealed during a Sensitization and Familiarisation Programme for Climate Change Desk Officers across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), Local Government Areas (LGAs) and Local Council Development Authorities (LCDAs) in the state, themed: “Empowering Local Action for a Cleaner and Climate-Resilient Oyo State.”
Declaring the programme open, the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Musibau Babatunde, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Cabinet and Special Services Department, Mr. Ojelabi Olusola, described the ranking improvement as evidence of deliberate and measurable climate actions by the Governor Makinde administration.
He said the state government remained committed to extending climate governance initiatives to local governments, Community Development Associations (CDAs) and MDAs to ensure sustainability.
He then called for effective monitoring mechanisms and periodic reporting to track climate action progress across the state.
Speaking at the programme, the Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Hon. Ademola Aderinto, described the development as a reflection of the state government’s growing commitment to climate resilience and environmental sustainability under the leadership of Governor Seyi Makinde.
According to him, climate change has become a visible reality affecting livelihoods through flooding, irregular rainfall, rising temperatures, land degradation, food insecurity and biodiversity loss.
He noted that the government was decentralising climate action by extending environmental initiatives to local governments, communities and institutions across the state.
“Climate change is no longer a distant environmental concern. Its realities are visible in our daily lives. The solution to global warming lies in local actions, and that is why we are empowering climate desk officers across the state,” Aderinto said.
The commissioner explained that the newly inaugurated climate desk officers would serve as coordinators for environmental reporting, awareness creation, policy implementation and climate risk communication within their respective jurisdictions.
He stressed the importance of regular reporting and monitoring of climate-related activities to enable the state aggregate its carbon reduction efforts and further improve its climate governance profile.
Aderinto highlighted several climate initiatives already undertaken by the state government, including the procurement of over 1,600 electric motorcycles for political office holders across local governments to reduce carbon emissions.
He also disclosed that the state government is constructing a 12-megawatt alternative energy power plant within the state secretariat and installing solar-powered streetlights in different parts of Ibadan as part of efforts to promote renewable energy.
He added that the state aims to emerge as a national leader in carbon mitigation and climate action.
Chairman of the House Committee on Environment, Hon. Olorunpoto Abdulrahman, commended the Ministry of Environment for broadening environmental discussions beyond waste management to include climate resilience and sustainability.
He urged the climate desk officers to become active environmental response coordinators capable of addressing grassroots environmental challenges such as flooding, blocked drainage systems and indiscriminate waste disposal.
According to him, local governments should begin to develop practical environmental response strategies tailored to their peculiar realities.
Highlighting the state’s previous activities and efforts on climate change, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Dr. S.A. Ojelabi, outlined several climate-related achievements recorded by the state government over the years.
These include the establishment of the State Climate Change Council Committee, development of the Oyo State Climate Change Act and Climate Action Plan, participation in international climate conferences such as COP29 and COP30, and the promotion of afforestation programmes.
Other achievements listed include the 11MW Hybrid Power Plant project, the introduction of Sustainable Omituntun 2.0 shuttle buses, the distribution of 351 electric motorcycles across the 33 local governments, and the implementation of projects such as the Ibadan Urban Flood Management Project (IUFMP) and the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP).
Dr. Ojelabi said the initiatives contributed significantly to the state’s rise in the national climate governance ranking and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to intensifying grassroots climate action through stronger collaboration and community participation.
