FG inaugurates Oxfam Climate Justice Ambassadors, charges them on environment protection, sustainability

AKOR SYLVESTER -Abuja

 

The Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal has charged the Oxfam Climate Justice Youth Ambassadors, a group committed to cleaner environment, on the protection and sustainability of safe environment for the good of the country..

 

He said Nigerian youth have vital role to play in the nation’s quest to have an environment free of challenges raging from deforestation,  unsustainable land degradation and pollution of kinds.

 

Lawal who inaugurated the Climate Justice Youth Ambassadors, an initiative by Oxfam Nigeria to help create awareness on environment protection and cautiousness at the commemoration of the World Environment Day in Abuja, urged the youth to intensify efforts in the campaign against environment pollution and all activities capable of making the society unsafe.

 

He said, Nigeria, like many other countries around the world, was facing significant environmental challenges, such as unsustainable land management practices and the adverse impacts of climate change, calling the youth to ensure climate justice in the country.

 

According to him, these challenges not only threaten the health and well-being of the people but also jeopardize the sustainability of the ecosystems and the prosperity of future generations.

 

The minister however said, despite the challenges, Nigeria was making significant progress in addressing land degradation and desertification through initiatives such as the Great Green Wall Project (GGW), Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP) and Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscape (ACResal).

 

He added that measures have been implemented through the programmes and projects to restore degraded landscapes, promote sustainable land management practices and enhance the resilience of communities to drought and desertification.

 

Earlier, while presenting the group to the minister for inauguration, the Oxfam Climate Justice Coordinator, Kenneth Akpan said the organization has deepened its commitment to ending poverty through the African Activist for Climate Justice (AACI) Project.

 

Akpan said the vulnerable population includes women, youth and persons with disabilities in the face of climate realities and injustice.

 

He said the Climate Justice Ambassadors emerged from the AACI project to leverage the power and capacity of youth as solution vectors for the country’s climate challenges.

 

According to him, it is also to support the government as foot soldiers to deepen and implement governments’ efforts to solve global climate crises at the grassroots, locally, states and at the national level

 

“The mission is to see how Nigerian youths can become world leaders and a reference point for the global climate crisis, starting from home.

 

“We encouraged them to take charge as climate activists, leaders of tomorrow in the climate space.

 

“These ambassadors include youth who convert plastic into interlocking tiles, youth who care for Jabi Lake by removing and recycling water hyacinth, and others.

 

“They have come up with a climate win that kids can play with and improve their knowledge of climate action,” he said.

 

Akpan stated that the climate Justice Youth Ambassadors will support the government as foot soldiers in tackling climate crisis in the country.

 

He said the Ambassadors will work with the ministry in educating Nigerians more on the need to have a clean and safe environment for better living, adding that the ministry is an engine room to promote environment safety.

 

The Climate Justice Coordinator further expressed satisfaction that the youths today are ready to be at the fore front of every effort and strategy to profer solutions to the challenges of the environment.

 

The high point of the event was the quiz competition by Government Junior Secondary school Mariana, Garki, Wuse and Jabi in Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, coordinated by Oxfam Nigeria.

 

JSS jabi emerged overall winner, as JSS Wuse came second, while JSS Maitama occupied the third position of the competition.

 

For a better society

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