29 June 2008
The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa'ad Abubakar III, has challenged the federal and state governments to sensitise the citizens aggressively to the effects of climate change.
Abubakar threw the challenge in his palace yesterday when participants in the ongoing national workshop on climate change and adaptation paid him a courtesy visit.
The workshop is being organised by the Federal Ministry of Environment, Housing and Urban Development in conjunction with the Heinrich Boll Foundation, an international NGO.
The Sultan said that Nigerians had the right to know that climate change had a serious impact on human life, agriculture and other sectors of the economy.
He noted that many citizens were not aware of the rising toll in the current climate-related disasters such as storms, drought and desertification.
"For the vulnerability of the society, the government must sensitise the people to the possible implications and adaptable solutions.
"If we fail to alert the nation to the consequences of climate change, generations yet unborn will not forgive us," he said.
Abubakar noted that climate change was a global phenomenon and harped on the urgent need for Nigerians to learn how to cope with its impact.
He challenged the government on capacity building as well as the formation of a strong network for adequate dissemination of information relating to climate change.
The Sultan said the time had come for the government to de-emphasise the use of firewood as it led to indiscriminate felling of trees, thereby aggravating desertification.
"Nigeria should borrow a leaf from countries such as Libya and Israel which have turned the desert into commercial farmlands.
"We have abundant natural resources which, if properly harnessed, will make Nigeria a business hub in Africa," he said.
The Sultan also appealed to African leaders to offer their formidable political will and financial support to the climate change campaign. (NAN)
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