Laide Akinboade
6 June 2009
Abuja — Minister of Environment, Mr. John Odey, has said the country loses over 350,000 hectares of land every year to deforestation and other impacts of climate change.
According to him, the impact of climate change in the country could result into great danger for both the social development and the health of Nigerians.
Odey who stated this on Friday at 2009 World Environment day, said that climate change can pose lot of danger which include security challenges, damage to infrastructures .
He noted that the nation's natural forests had decreased from 25.7% to 16%, and that 10,000 farming families have moved out of their degraded land as a result of climate change.
He said, "Climate change impacts could pose great dangers with consequences of desertification, sea-level rise, flooding and water salinity among others.
"These impacts could manifest in food security challenges, damage to infrastructure and social dislocation. Additional impact is threat to Health as rising temperature could bring about diseases like Cerebro - Spinal Meningitis (CSM), Malaria and other related illnesses."
The theme of 2009 environment day is "Your planet needs You! Combat Climate Change".
Among the stakeholders who graced the 2009 World environment Day, include, the Minister of Enviroment, Mr. John Odey, Senate Chairman on Environment, Senator Folashade Bent, the Minister of State for Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief J. Odom, the Minister of Niger Delta, Chief Ufot Ekatte, Chairman House Committee on Environment, Honorable Duro Fasheyi, Chairman House committee on Climate Change, Honourable Ubani, Minister of Defense, Dr. Shettima Mustapha, , they all agreed that there is need for all Nigerians to collaborate in ensuring that effect of climate change is reduced .
The minister, therefore, called for the support of all Nigerians in combating the effect of climate change.
"We solicit your involvement in the awareness campaign and the programs and projects of government as part of our mitigation and adaptation strategies. Plant and nurture a tree, maintain sustainable practices to safeguard our environment.
He noted that the Federal Government had put some policies in place to ensure reforestation and afforestation. The policies that have been put in place include National erosion and flood control policy, national environmental sanitation policy, national drought and deforestation policy and national policy on e-waste control management.
"One major step by this administration towards combating Climate Change and protecting our natural resources is the extensive reforestation and afforestation program initiated by President Umaru Musa Yar' Adua," he said.
The program, according to him, includes community-based wood-lots, control of fuel wood extraction from the reserves and the development of more efficient wood stoves.
He explained that the afforestation program is based on the conviction that Forests contribute to the mitigation of the impact of Climate Change through Carbon sequestration. "The program is also focused at combating the problem of desertification, empowering rural communities economically and creating millions of green jobs among our youths." Odey said.
Senator Bent in her goodwill message said Nigeria play a significant role in contributing to the ozone layer due to gas flaring. She therefore called on the Federal Government to outlaw gas flaring in the country. She assured all Nigerians that the Senate will put legislations that will outlaw gas flaring and protection of the environment in general.
The Minister of Niger Delta, Chief Ufot Ekatte, said climate change is a global problem demanding solution. He therefore called on all nations to unite in combating the challenges of global warming.
He went further, "The Niger Delta region which I superintend as Ministe, is one of the most vulnerable to the impact of climate change in Nigeria as the region has extensive low-lying coastal areas."
Read comments. Write your own.
Copyright © 2009 Vanguard. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
Yes undoubtedly climate change is causing deforestation and desertification but we are not helping by allowing extensive illegal deforestation by a multitude of chain saw operators who, in desperation, plunder the rural areas and about whom the responsible local authorities make no effort to control. Can we not ensure that licences for logging, are properly monitored and that they are only issued against proof of planting x 100 saplings per saw per yr or month which could be grown and charged for by the self same local Authorities? Patrick