SENATOR IKPEA SEEKS STRATEGIC COLLABORATION WITH SGF TO ADVANCE FEDERAL RESPONSE TO ECOLOGICAL CHALLENGES IN ESANLAND

Ikpea Media Team

The Senator representing Edo Central Senatorial District and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Drugs and Narcotics, Senator Joseph Igiagbe Ikpea, has paid a courtesy visit to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, to strengthen collaboration towards addressing the persistent ecological degradation threatening communities across Esanland.

The high-level engagement centred on forging a strategic partnership between the National Assembly and the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to facilitate coordinated Federal Government intervention in tackling erosion, gully expansion, flooding and other environmental challenges affecting Edo Central Senatorial District.

During the meeting, Senator Ikpea highlighted the devastating impact of ecological degradation on lives, livelihoods, infrastructure, farmlands and economic activities across the district. He emphasized the need for a coordinated response involving relevant federal ministries, departments and agencies under the leadership and coordinating framework of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

The courtesy visit also follows Senator Ikpea’s recent legislative intervention on the floor of the Senate, where he sponsored a motion on the urgent need for the Federal Government and relevant authorities to address the worsening gully erosion and ecological challenges in Edo Central Senatorial District. The motion, which has successfully passed First Reading, demonstrates the Senator’s commitment to pursuing both legislative and executive solutions to the environmental challenges confronting the people of Esanland.

Senator Ikpea noted that while legislative advocacy remains an important avenue for securing government action, sustained engagement with critical institutions of the Federal Government is equally essential to accelerate policy implementation and attract timely ecological intervention projects to vulnerable communities.

In his response, SGF George Akume reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to fostering inter-ministerial collaboration and ensuring the effective implementation of policies and programmes that promote sustainable national development. He assured that the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, 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 pressing environmental and developmental concerns across the country.

The meeting underscores Senator Ikpea’s proactive representation and unwavering commitment to leveraging both legislative advocacy and strategic institutional engagement to secure lasting solutions to the ecological challenges facing Esanland. It also reinforces ongoing efforts to attract sustainable Federal Government interventions that will protect lives, preserve communities and promote inclusive development across Edo Central Senatorial District.