Writers should write about the environment – ANA

The Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) has called on creative writers to engage their skills, books and other creative works to articulate issues of the environment and climate change. This is in order to aid the public awareness effort of the government as regards the recent wave of floods in the country, particularly the most […]

The Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) has called on creative writers to engage their skills, books and other creative works to articulate issues of the environment and climate change. This is in order to aid the public awareness effort of the government as regards the recent wave of floods in the country, particularly the most recent, in Benue State.

This was contained in a release signed by the president of ANA, Denja Abdullahi, where the government and the organised private sector are also enjoined to support the effort to reinvigorate and bring back into the scheme the literary prizes on environmental writing sponsored previously by Chevron and NDDC but which were later discontinued by those organizations.

The association, while condoling with victims, people and government of Benue State, expressed its worry over the recent natural disaster in Benue State where a large part of Makurdi, the state capital, and other locations were flooded. 

This is coming at a time when Benue State is set to hold the 36th International Convention of ANA coming up between October 26 to 29 2017. The association calls on members nationwide, well-meaning individuals, local and international organisations to come to the aid of victims of the flood.

ANA calls on the Benue State government, the Federal Government and all the stakeholders in environmental management to explore innovative and creative dynamics and apparatuses to fight the problem. “It is also the position of the association that more serious attention should be given to climate change issues in our society beyond the usual policy document. Our educational system at all levels should be equipped with personnel, facilities and support to enhance teaching and learning about climate change and environmental sustainability from the perspective and diversity of the different disciplines of the arts, culture, sciences and technology and with ample reference to the existing indigenous knowledge systems in our communities,” the association said.