The Nasarawa State House of Assembly has urged Governor Abdullahi Sule to close the existing manpower gap in the State Environmental Protection Agency.

The assembly stated that this was to ensure the agency’s development through effective service delivery in the state.

Mohammed Omadefu, the chairman of the House Committee on Environment, made the call when the agency’s management appeared before the committee on its “Second Quarter 2025 Budget Performance” on Monday in Lafia.

Mr Omadefu said the oversight function was to check the activities of the agency for the second quarter of 2025.

He said that closing the manpower gap was essential for optimal productivity and for the overall development of the state.

”I want to urge Governor Abdullahi Sule to close the manpower gap in this agency for the overall development of the agency and the state at large,” he said.

Earlier, the agency’s general manager, Iliyasu Adeka, stated that the agency was responsible for protecting the environment in the state.

”We also do fumigation of pubic and private places in order to ensure that the environment is safe and clean for our people,” he added.

Mr Adeka, however, identified understaffing as the major problem affecting the agency.

Also appearing before the committee was the management of Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL).

Elias Globe, the project coordinator, appreciated the committee for its support of the project’s activities, which helped them succeed.

He said ACReSAL was a World Bank-assisted project aimed at addressing the challenges of land degradation and climate change in Northern Nigeria.

Mr Globe assured them of their commitment to continue initiating projects that have a direct impact on the lives of the people of the state.

Responding, the chairman of the committee commended ACReSAL for its robust and plausible intervention projects.

(NAN)