By Mercy Akuba
The Senator representing Edo Central Senatorial District and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Drugs and Narcotics, Joseph Ikpea, has called for stronger collaboration between the executive and legislative arms of government to address the growing ecological challenges threatening communities across the district.
Senator Ikpea made the call during a visit to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, where he sought coordinated Federal Government intervention to tackle erosion, gully expansion, flooding, and other environmental problems affecting Edo Central.
During the meeting, the lawmaker highlighted the devastating impact of ecological degradation on communities, noting that the environmental challenges have continued to threaten lives, destroy farmlands, damage critical infrastructure, and disrupt economic activities across the district.
He stressed the need for a comprehensive response involving relevant Federal Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), coordinated through the Office of the SGF, to mitigate the worsening environmental situation.
The visit follows Senator Ikpea’s recent legislative efforts on the issue. He had earlier sponsored a motion on the floor of the Senate calling for urgent intervention by the Federal Government and relevant authorities to address the escalating gully erosion and ecological threats facing Edo Central Senatorial District.
The motion, which has successfully passed First Reading, underscores the senator’s determination to pursue both legislative and executive avenues in securing lasting solutions to the environmental challenges confronting communities across Esanland.
According to Senator Ikpea, while legislative advocacy remains a vital tool for drawing government attention to pressing concerns, sustained engagement with key Federal Government institutions is equally important in accelerating policy implementation and attracting timely ecological intervention projects to vulnerable communities.
In his response, SGF George Akume reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening inter-ministerial collaboration and ensuring the effective implementation of policies and programmes aimed at promoting sustainable national development.
Akume assured the senator that the Office of the SGF, which coordinates the activities of Federal Ministries, Departments, and Agencies and oversees the implementation of Federal Government decisions, remains committed to supporting initiatives that address critical environmental and developmental challenges across the country.
He emphasized that collaborative efforts between government institutions remain essential to delivering sustainable solutions to the nation’s ecological and developmental concerns.