The Abia State Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Philemon Asonye Ogbonna, has called on heads of government-owned and private tertiary institutions in the state to support the establishment of Environment/Climate Clubs and Societies in secondary and tertiary schools as part of efforts to promote environmental sustainability and strengthen climate governance in Abia State.
Mr. Ogbonna made the call during a visit to the State Ministry of Tertiary Education, where he joined a meeting with heads of government and private tertiary institutions across the state. He used the opportunity to sensitise the education stakeholders on the importance of engaging young people in environmental protection, climate action and sustainable development.
Mr. Ogbonna explained that the initiative followed a communication from the Honourable Minister of Environment dated March 31, 2026, regarding the establishment of Environment/Climate Clubs and Societies in schools. He noted that the initiative was launched at the federal level on November 21, 2025, by Her Excellency, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, CON, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Environment.
According to Mr. Ogbonna, the initiative is particularly important to Abia State following its remarkable improvement in the 2026 Subnational Climate Governance Performance Rating and Ranking (SCGPRR 3.0), where the state moved from 28th position in the previous ranking to second position nationally.
He stated that the achievement had further heightened the state’s commitment to climate action, noting that Governor Alex Chioma Otti had called for the involvement of all sectors and stakeholders to sustain the progress and work towards attaining first position in the next national climate governance ranking.
The Commissioner emphasised that educational institutions have a strategic role to play in achieving this objective by equipping students with the knowledge, skills and values required to address environmental challenges. He urged institutional heads to take ownership of the initiative and ensure that Environment/Climate Clubs become active platforms for learning, innovation and practical environmental action.
Mr. Ogbonna explained that the clubs are designed to nurture environmentally conscious young people who are committed to environmental preservation and climate responsibility. He added that the initiative would promote knowledge of the circular economy, alternative livelihoods and environmental entrepreneurship, while creating opportunities for green jobs and encouraging the active participation of young people in climate governance at the subnational level.
He further disclosed that institutions whose clubs demonstrate outstanding performance could have opportunities to participate in international climate conferences, including the Conference of the Parties (COP), as well as other climate-related engagements. Such opportunities, he said, would expose students to global best practices, broaden their understanding of climate issues and enable them to contribute meaningfully to environmental solutions.
The Commissioner called on the management of tertiary institutions to collaborate with the Ministry of Environment and other relevant stakeholders to facilitate the establishment, coordination and effective operation of the clubs. He also encouraged them to promote environmental awareness, proper waste management, tree planting, climate education and other sustainability activities within their institutions.
He maintained that achieving a sustainable environment requires collective responsibility, stressing that the active involvement of schools and young people would help consolidate Abia State’s gains in climate governance and position the state for further progress in subsequent national assessments.
In her response, the Honourable Commissioner for Tertiary Education Prof.Uche Eme-Uche assured that there would be an immediate positive response to the initiative, signaling the Ministry’s readiness to support efforts aimed at promoting environmental awareness and climate action within educational institutions in the state.
The Honorable Commissioner was accompanied on the visit by the Head of Department of Climate Change in the Ministry Mr. Chris Ike.
Obioma Chidimma Success,
Public Relations Officer,
Ministry of Environment.
