COP27 Egypt: Buhari Under Pressure As Calls for Climate Policies Heightens Amid Incessant Flooding
- The federal government of Nigeria has been put on the spot amid the unpleasant state of climate and environmental situation in Nigeria
- In the build-up to the 27th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27), delegates have been urged to make case for Nigeria
- Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari and other arms of the government have been charged to put in place stern regulations and sanctions on climate and environmental violators
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FCT, Abuja - As all road leads to Egypt next month for the 27th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27), Nigeria is at a crossroad to find a lasting solution to its lingering climate and environmental challenges.
Most recently, statistics were reeled out that at least 33 states out of the 36 were affected by flooding, leaving thousands homeless and hundreds dead.
Source: Twitter
On Saturday, October 29, a civil society organisation, FAME foundation, staged the 2022 Green Ball Walk for Climate in Nigeria's capital city Abuja.
The organisation, in its manifesto, said there was a need for the government to consider the importance of climate and environmental protection.
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They stated that government at all levels should interface to ensure favourable policies are enacted and implemented to clamp down on climate and environmental challenges like flooding, oil spills, gas flaring, waste dumps, and other hazardous climate and environmental challenges.
COP27 Egypt: Delegates urged to make a case for Nigeria
While reflecting on the forthcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference, the organisation said Nigeria's delegates must make a case for Nigeria at the convergence.
They said:
"We urge the delegates to the upcoming COP27 in Egypt to objectively examine the country's climate situation 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 climate and environmental decision."
CSO wants stern regulations and sanctions for environmental violators
Similarly, the executive director and founder of FAME foundation, Mrs Aderonke Bello, who spoke to our Legit.ng reporter, said there is a need to start putting proactive measures in place to avoid the reoccurrence of issues like flood and oil spills.
She said:
"We have millions of people displaced already by flooding, something that is easily preventable."
Mrs Bello noted that a proper mechanism to ensure adequate evaluation and analysis to give residents prior notice before a disaster needs to be adopted.
"Look at Rivers state, for example, their effect of gas flaring, oil spillage, water has been contaminated, people were falling sick, there are no adequate health care facilities for them.
"So, these companies making money off these communities need to quickly come together, I mean, it's been long for years. For crying out loud, you are making money, you are destroying and you are not trying to repair, I don't think that is fair."
She also urged the government to start working with these companies by issuing regulatory stipulations and sanctions for violating these regulations.
Lincoln Stanley, an National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) member who was a participant, told Legit.ng that there is a need for the federal government to save the Niger Delta region.
He said the repercussion of oil spill and gas flaring is hazardous to human existence.
Stanley said the government needs to adopt stern regulations and issue sanctions on some of these oil companies.
"I think regulations, especially in terms of these oil needs to be put in place. I think it should be put on hold a bit, they should put a little bit of stop and focus on something more important which is the climate which is what is needed."
Nigeria will join other nations of the world as delegates to deliberate on climate and environmental challenges at this year's United Nations Climate Change Conference to be held in Egypt from Sunday, November 6 to Friday, November 18.
Nigeria loses 90,000 houses to flood, records 500 deaths in 2022
In another development, Nigeria is currently facing one of the worst effects of natural disasters in a long while.
The latest statistics have disclosed that Nigeria has suffered more casualties to flood than any other affected African nation.
At least 90, 000 houses have been lost to flood, 50 deaths recorded, and 140,000 hectares of farmland destroyed by flood in 2022.
Source: Legit.ng
