It is no longer in doubt that the continuous shrinking of the Lake Chad basin is a big source of concern to Africans particularly nationals of Chad, Niger, Cameroun and Nigeria. The President of the 73rd United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), María Espinosa-Garcés, who was in Nigeria on a visit in May this year described the shrinking of Lake Chad as “one of the major climate change disasters in Africa.”
Experts have posited that the Lake shrunk over the years by as much as 90 per cent. The UNGA President who is a Geographer by profession stated that in the last 40 years, the Lake ‘went down from 25, 000 square kilometers to only 2, 500 square kilometers’. Most of the people are of the view that the shrinking of the Lake will continue as long as there is no political will and commitment to address it by member countries.
Lake Chad basin is the world’s largest endothecia basin covering 8% of the African continent. It is located in the Sahel zone of West-Central Africa and it shrinks due to irrigation demands, overuse and climate among other reasons. It also provides livelihood to more than 40 million persons in the region.
There is presently an alarming estimate of 2.8 million refugees in the Lake Chad region while estimates show that there are 9.2 million people in need of humanitarian assistance in the region.
Experts have also stated times without number that the implication of this situation is that it is a big threat to the lives of the people in terms of well being, food security, development, security of lives and properties among others.
In his usual show of concern for issues affecting lives and property of Nigerians and other fellow Africans, President Muhammadu Buhari urged the global community to urgently support efforts to save Lake Chad from drying up. While lamenting that the lake that provides livelihood for millions of people, is gradually going into extinction leading to increasing migration and insecurity.
It is indeed heartwarming to note that all hands are on deck to rescue the basin from total shrinking as even President of Gabon, Ali Bongo revealed the widows mite contribution in this direction by pledging that his country would contribute to the revitalisation of the Lake through the establishment of a monitoring system for the lake and the surrounding landscape.
It is therefore very imperative to declare that issues of the Lake Chad with the urgency they deserve and show the highly needed political will and corresponding commitment towards reviving it. The dire need to share this mission of rescuing the Lake Chad Basin with a renewed vigour, determination and international collaboration must be given accelerated consideration.
In the alternative, any inaction or delay will continue to accelerate and aggravate the deteriorating standard of living of millions of our people in the region, the continent and the world at large with serious consequences.
Musa Ilallah
musahk123@yahoo.com.
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