NAN- AE-5
Wall
BY Ebere Agozie
Abuja, Oct.25, 2016 (NAN) The Federal Government says it is working not only to grow Green Wall to fight climate change but reclaim the environment to reduce the impact of Climate Change and Environmental Degradation.
The Minister of Environment, Amina Mohammed, made the assertion on Tuesday in Abuja during a Public Policy Forum on Desertification and Deforestation organised by the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Foundation.
According to her, the ministry is putting every action in place, working with the government and partnering the general public in creating an enabling environment to fight desertification and deforestation.
“Climate Change is real and global, so we must advocate the need to tackle, partner and create awareness to sustaining what the FG has put in place to address the challenges.
“Government is trying to strengthen the relevant institutions to identify the root causes of desertification and deforestation and address the issues.’’
She said that lack of key stakeholder awareness and understanding were hampering effective policy and process response to the impacts of climate change on Nigeria.
“We are partnering rural communities because citizens are unaware of the scale of problems and creeping effects of climate change,’’ the minister said.
Also, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, the Chairman Senate Committee on Environment, said that desertification, which could be caused by climate change or human activities must be curtailed by the efforts of all.
“We must emphasise on education and create awareness on how to prevent and fight the Climate Change.
“As well as educate the public to avoid wood logging, bush burning and monoculture and start implementing government’s policies and galvanise collective efforts to combat it.
“This forum for public discourse will stress the impact of climate change and environmental degradation on human and food security in Nigeria and to show that `Climate change’ issues must be seriously addressed,’’ she said.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Foundation, the organisers of the forum was established to sustain Shehu Yar’Adua’s legacy.
The foundation promotes transparency, accountability and national unity in order to inspire Nigeria’s future generations with his life of service.(NAN)
EPA/AFA
Edited by Felix Ajide
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