Funding: NASS moves for renaming of NCCC

….as OXFAM says Nigeria in the right part in solving climate  change crisis

By AKOR SYLVESTER-Abuja

following the decision of the federal government to stop the funding of all the national councils outfits in the country, the National Assembly  is proposing the establishment of the National Climate Change Commission (NCCC) to replace the existing National Council on Climate Change (NCCC) for proper funding.

This is as the OXFAM Nigeria said Nigeria is on the right part of solving the climate change crisis in the country.

The Vice Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Environment, Terseer Ugbor who spoke at the One-Day National stakeholder’s Pre-COP28 Workshop sponsored by OXFAM Nigeria in collaboration with International Labour Organisation (ILO) in Abuja, emphasized the importance of the  Climate Change council in tackling environmental issues, especially that of climate change, hence the need to retain the platform.

Ugbor advocated improved funding to the environmental sector, including better and environmental policies that quarantee a sustainable and healthy environment to mitigate against the effects of climate change.

The lawmaker urged the stakeholders and other participants in the coming COP28 in Dubai, the United Arab Emirate (UAE) to come back with actionable programmes and Initiatives that would help in mitigating climate change crisis in the country.

Speaking, the Director General of NCCC, Salisu Dahiru said Nigeria, because of her number of issues that are critical to the economy, would go for both negotiation and non negotiation parts at the conference..

Amongst the issues to present at the conference, according to him includes Energy Commission Transmission plant, use of gas as a transmission fuel, fund for enforcement of loss and damages, rapping up fund for adaptation and others.

He said Nigeria needs to convince all the parties of 198 for it to meet the demands and also to get funding for energy transmission plant.

The Director General assured that Nigeria will return from the cop28 with workable steps to battle the environmental health challenges for the good of the country.

On his part, the OXFAM Nigeria said Nigeria is on the right part in solving climate change crisis in the country with its programmes and policies.

The Climate Justice Project coordinator of OXFAM Nigeria, Kenneth Akpan who spoke unbehalf of the organization, expressed hope that Nigeria will do better in the area of mitigating the effects of climate change when it returns from the conference.

He said with the pedigree of people going to represent Nigeria at the conference, a lot would be achieved at the end of the meeting.