By Mashe Umaru Gwamna
The Conservator General (CG) of the National Park Service (NPS), Dr Ibrahim Goni,has called on all relevant stakeholders to joint efforts to tackle climate change by planting trees and supporting Environment Media Correspondents in Nigeria(EMCAN)for what they are doing in the area of awareness.
Goni made this known at a one day seminar organised by Development Agenda in collaboration with Environment Media Correspondent Association of Nigeria (EMCAN) in Abuja.
He said it is an awake call for everyone of us in the country, to know that climate change is a reality due to the changes we are experiencing currently.
He said 9th assembly has already approved newly 10 national parks because of the Presidential Declaration Order, of 2022 .
“The seven national parks provide a total area of vegetation of 20,000 square kilometres, and we are confident that it would sequester carbon by 4.8 million parts. This means that with the introduction of the new 10 national parks, carbon dioxide is going to be sequestrated.’’
The conservator-general commended the Federal Government for its efforts in carbon mediation and the planting of 25 million trees to cushion the effects of climate change in the country.
Speaking at the Emir of Nasarawa and Former Minister of Environment His Royal Highness, Alhaji Ibrahim Usman Jibril, said environmental issues have become global challenges, emphasized that Nigeria is not left out with the challenges facing the country.
“We have issues of land encroachment, oil pollution, deforestation
among others.
“The issues of desert encroachment, oil pollution and flooding are challenges we are see all around us in the country over.
According to Jibril these are long term temperature, shifts in temperature and weather condition that has become Climate Change issues.
“ So there is a need for all us to put our hands on decks to tackle the challenges.
In his welcome the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Development Agenda Magazine, Paddy Ezeala, said the occasion is important in profiling the issues of climate change in Nigeria.
“This is special as it relates to the upcoming 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) coming up in Dubai, UAE, later this month. By extension, it is also an opportunity for us to take stock of the state of our environment and evaluate our responses to the various challenges confronting us in that regards.
“The consequences of climate change are manifesting starkly in Nigeria and, in fact, across West Africa. We can no longer pretend that nothing is happening. We are all affected.
Also speaking
the Programme coordinator of United Nations Industrial Development Organization(UNIDO)
Oluyomi Banjo said emphasized that messages cannot be passed without the media.
He applaud EMCAN as an organization for the job well done.
Banjo noted that for Nigeria to tackle climate change, there is a need for leaders to key in and identify the roles to be played to tackle it.
“UNIDO has be working tirelessly with the Nigeria government and they can’t achieve this without the support of media practitioners”,he said
Chucks
The significance of this event is to ascertain the preparedness of Nigeria for COP28 and what the government has done.
EMCAN as a media outfits is out to showcase what other stakeholders have done to tackle climate change.
In his vote of thanks, EMCAN Chairman, Amechi Chuks Oyema urged members of the group to put in more effort in reporting the environmental challenges, especially climate change.
He said participation in COP28 will enable EMCAN members build more capacity on the job.
