Reps ask FG to take climate change issue serious

Stakeholders including the Federal Ministries of Health, Environment, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency NIMASA and Nigerian Meteorological Agency NIMET on Thursday rejected the proposal to create an agency to address climate change issue in the country.

They however advocated for appropriate funding of already established agencies in the annual budgets for optimum performances.

Specifically, the Director-General of NIMET Prof Mashi Abubakar in a presentation to the Committee said that the agency had been tackling issues of climate change.

This came to fore in Abuja at a public hearing of the House of Representatives Committee on Climate change on a Bill for an Act to Establish the Climate Change Agency and National Council on Climate Change

Also, the Speaker of the House, Hon. Yakubu Dogara has called on the federal government to ensure implementation of strategic programs for a safer and cleaner environment in Nigeria.

This is coming just as Chairman of the House Committee on Climate Change Hon. Samuel Onuigbo equally called on the Federal Government to factor issues of climate change into national development plans with a view to addressing it holistically.

He said that such measures would provide opportunity for the development of climate change responses to the challenges in our environment.

According to him, it would create a legal framework for implementation of strategic programmes and guide spending in many cities around the world.

He added that it would address coastal flooding, erosion, and pollution affecting the environment.