Nigeria urged to urgently tackle natural disasters, climate change

The Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), a Civil Society Network for the Lake Chad Basin (North East Nigeria) and the Humanitarian Forum, UK, with the support of the International Islamic Charity Organisation (IICO) have urged Nigeria to tackle natural disaster and climate change challenges in the country as an urgent issue adversely affecting the people, especially […]

The Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), a Civil Society Network for the Lake Chad Basin (North East Nigeria) and the Humanitarian Forum, UK, with the support of the International Islamic Charity Organisation (IICO) have urged Nigeria to tackle natural disaster and climate change challenges in the country as an urgent issue adversely affecting the people, especially in the North-East.

This call was made at the opening of a 2-day workshop in Abuja, tagged, ‘Resilience Agenda: Natural Disasters and Climate Change – How are we managing Risks and Crises Differently in North-East Nigeria?’

Speaking, Director General of NCF, Dr. Muhtari Aminu-Kano, said climate change and environmental degradation are at the root of the humanitarian crises in the North-East, among them shrinking of the Lake Chad, drought and desertification, deforestation and land degradation.

He said the crises also have heavy consequences for climate change and natural resources in the region, with natural areas as bases and battle fronts and concentration of populations in a few areas.

The president of the Humanitarian Forum, UK, Dr. Hany El-Banna, said to achieve substantive success in the fight against natural disasters and climate change, they must embrace progress through partnership.

Meanwhile, president of the Civil Society Network for the Lake Chad Basin, Ambassador Shehu Ahmed, emphasised that the Federal Government, international organisations and corporate citizens should rise to change the situation.