General News
Gumi Calls for Climate Action, Ranching to Tackle Insecurity in West Africa
By Bashir Mayeri
A member representing Gumi/Bukuyyum Federal Constituency of Zamfara State and member of the ECOWAS Parliament in Nigeria, Dr. Suleiman Abubakar Gumi, has appealed for stronger climate adaptation measures, investment in ranching and alternative livelihoods to address the growing relationship between environmental degradation, population displacement and insecurity in the West African region,
Dr. Suleiman Gumi made the appeal in Accra, Ghana, during the 2026 Second Extraordinary Session and Parliamentary Seminar of the ECOWAS Parliament.
The seminar, which brought together lawmakers and regional stakeholders, deliberated on the devastating consequences of climate change under the theme, “Climate Change as a Factor of Environmental Degradation, Population Displacement and Growing Insecurity in the ECOWAS Region.”
Dr. Gumi said although natural causes of climate change might not be controlled by humans, a lot could be done to mitigate its spread, while human activities that accelerate environmental degradation, including deforestation, charcoal production, mining and the burning of fossil fuels, should be addressed.
He said the activities of man aggravate the situation, adding that environmental degradation starts with reducing vegetation and putting additional pressure on communities whose livelihoods depend on land and livestock.
The lawmaker further linked the expansion of desertification in the Sahel region to increasing pressure on pastoral communities, adding that the loss of grazing land had also forced livestock herders to move towards areas where vegetation and water remain available.
“Competition for land has contributed largely to tensions between farming and pastoral communities.”
He therefore proposed that governments designate permanent grazing areas for affected communities while investing in modern ranching systems, including water facilities and improved pasture.
According to him, confined livestock production will reduce pressure on farmland and help prevent some of the disputes associated with the movement of cattle in search of pasture.
Gumi, who expressed satisfaction with the meeting’s theme, said the loss of livestock through cattle rustling and the displacement of pastoral communities had contributed to unemployment and vulnerability among young people, which could create conditions for recruitment into armed groups.
He argued that a combination of security measures and non-kinetic interventions, including education, livelihood opportunities and rehabilitation programmes, should be adopted by governments, especially in countries such as Nigeria, where the problem has escalated beyond the immediate northern part of the country.