By Chuks Oyema-Aziken
To stem the tide of climate change, the role of policy makers has been stressed.
Chairman, Climate Parliament Nigeria Network, Mr. Samuel Onuigbo, said policymakers, including legislators have a critical role in tackling the devastating effects of climate change.
He stated this at the Climate Parliament One-day Technical Capacity-building Workshop for the Legislature on Fostering Low Carbon and Climate Resilient Nigeria.
The workshop, which was sponsored by UNIDO, is an initiative of Climate Parliament in partnership with UNIDO under the Parliamentary Action on Renewable Energy (PARE) program.
The workshop was to galvanize lawmakers interest in providing the requisite support system for a decarbonized, low carbon, and climate-resilient Nigeria..
He said “This workshop is intended to create awareness and also equip my colleagues with what is required in tackling the devastating effects of climate change through an approach like renewable energy which will helps us not only in tackling the devastating effects of climate change, but also helps us to tackle the challenges of our energy supply to the nation.”
Hon. Onuigbo urged the legislators to make adequate budgetary provisions for Climate issues.
The Chairman, also emphasized the need for lawmakers to also make legislatures that would promote renewable energy, energy efficiency, while considering laws of Climate Change.
Speaking further, Onuigbo said “For us one of the greatest ways of tackling Climate Change, during budgeting appropriation we ensure that money is set aside for addressing the challenges of climate change, and of course, that is why in enacting this law, we make sure that we made provision to have someone in the directorate cadre, in all the Ministry Department and Agencies, MDA’s to oversee issues about climate.
Chairman House Committee on Electoral Matter and Political Parties Affairs, Mrs. Aishatu Dukku said that Climate Change is a very fundamental issue that affects Nigeria, while assuring that the National Assembly will keep making proper legislation to protect the environment.
“This workshop is very beneficial because Climate Change is a very fundamental issue that affects us in Nigeria as a whole. As you have seen this year, the weather and the climate have been very harsh, with a lot of flooding and this is because of Climate Change, and it is because we’ve cut down all the trees, there are so many evolutions, and nothing is being done about it, so as a legislator, I’m much concerned, this training of course, will help in making things better for us.” She explained.
The Minister of Power Mr Aliyu Abubakar said that the Ministry focuses on mitigating Climate Change through the implementation of renewable energy projects.
“This workshop is seriously needed to build the capacity of the legislators both the state and National level, to understand the Climate Change and also make laws that will bring about the implementation of both mitigation and adaptation of Climate Change, we have policies that regulate renewable energy sector but we need to also have legislatures that will foster the development of that renewable energy market, legislature that will mobilise private sector funding in the implementation of the renewable energy project in Nigeria .” He stated.
He commended the Climate Parliament Nigeria on the efforts for the Parliamentary Action on Renewable Energy, PARE in Nigeria for bringing together relevant Members of the National and State Houses of Assemblies for the technical capacity building workshop.
The Secretary General Climate Parliament, Nick Dunlop, while commending the effort of the Nigerian government so far on its climate policies said it was critical that the government step up the pace and scale of action on climate Change.
“And here is another reason why we are reattached so much to Nigeria. We are just extremely proud of the success that’s been achieved by Mr Onuigbo leadership by the Nigerian parliamentarians and finally getting adopted the new Climate Change law. We tell everybody about this all over the world at every opportunity because it’s really a world leading piece of legislation, one of two or three that we see come through in the leadership of Parliamentarians in Africa in the last couple of years.”
He added that the key priority was the implementation of the Climate Change law.
