The Executive Director, FAME Foundation, Ms Aderonke Ogunleye-Bello, has urged governments at all levels, to intensify efforts in reducing the impact of climate change in the country.
She made the appeal while addressing journalists Saturday in Abuja on the sidelines of ‘The Green Ball Walk for Climate’, organised by the foundation, aimed at raising awareness on the lingering climate issues in Nigeria.
Participants of the walk carried placards, some of which read, ‘Take climate action today’, ‘Step up for climate now’, ‘The environment is also important’, ‘There is no planet B’, ‘Men argue, nature acts’, ‘Together let’s save our planet’, ‘Dear aspirants, address climate change in your manifestoes’, and ‘The climate is changing, so should we’
Daily Trust reports that the 27th United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP27, would be held from 6 to 18 November 2022 in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.
Ogunleye-Bello charged Nigeria’s delegates to COP27 to discuss and negotiate in favour of Nigerians.
She said: “While governments with the power and money to address the climate emergency drag their feet, vulnerable groups and communities are paying the deadly price of climate inaction.
“Alongside the recently established climate change council, Nigeria has written and signed policies and treaties to tackle climate change. However, the implementation of these existing policies is relatively poor.
“Additionally, while establishing policies is necessary for climate action, these rules, with new challenges facing Nigeria, hardly ever fit our local context for climate change.
“We hereby demand that the Nigerian government take immediate action to address the ongoing climate disaster affecting the nation. We demand that they take note of Nigerians’ suffering and consider a long-term solution to the matter.
“We urge the delegates to the upcoming COP27 in Egypt to examine the country’s climate situation objectively and make decisions that will benefit the country, particularly the most vulnerable and impacted. We anticipate that they will take actions that will improve Nigeria’s climatic and environmental situation.
“We urge the political candidates running in the upcoming general elections in 2023 to address climate change in their manifestos. The government at every level, federal, state, or local, must play a role in tackling climate change.”
The Coordinator, African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL), Dr Chido Onumah, charged policy makers to put in place effective climate policies to safeguard the environment.
The National Youth Leader, National Council for Women Society of Nigeria (NCWS), Sarki Sylvia, called on the government to appoint professionals to head environment ministries.
