The essence of the 5th edition of the west African science -journalism and climate change conference is toward training more journalists in the region to embrace written environment news and reportages with the sole aims of saving the environment against the spread of tropical diseases, and issues related to global warming and environmental degradation that is capable of affecting human, animals and all the living organism in the region
Declaring the One day workshop open, the director African climate reporters Mr Nurudden bello, who is also a science climatologist emphasized on the need to trained and equipped more journalists across the region to embraced science journalism to save the region against wide spread of Diseases, and other ecological challenges
Stressing that the organization HAS for the fast 5 years has been organizing scientific conference for west African journalists, so as to enhance their capacity on news writings and reportageS
The focus was to help participants identify pressing climate issues within their specialist reporting areas, their geographic regions, and which are relevant to their target audiences.
Adding that since the inception of the training over 300 journalists from different African countries were trained on scientific reportage which involved climate change,Flood disaster,and various ways to write stories that can help toward tackling environmental degradation
More tropical diseases are spreading from forestry to major cities in the region hence the need to equipped more journalist to be acquainted with all the scientific terms in order to enhance their writing skills on disaster management and other forms of diseases due to human irrational activities of dumping all forms of trash and garbage affecting lives of aquatic mamals
The conference which had the theme: “Impact of Climate Change on Agricultural Produce” became necessary so as to charge Journalists on the need to key into the need to shift from news stories that cover only politics and war, to issues that affect our climate on daily basis.
The conference which had the theme: “Impact of Climate Change on Agricultural Produce” became necessary so as to charge Journalists on the need to key into the need to shift from news stories that cover only politics and war, to issues that affect our climate on daily basis.
” because when the temperature rises, that of the see will also rise which will make the sea level to increase because the ice in the see will melt, thereby, warming the environment more.” he added
Another speaker in a paper titled “Impact of Climate Change on Agricultural Produce,” and lecturer with Womenhood School of Health, Kaduna, Pharmacist Bryan Ekoja, noted that climate change is real and its adverse effect could be devastating on food safety and agricultural produce if necessary steps are not taken to check and mitigate its effects.
“With changing patterns and increase in extreme weather events and the average temperature, there is emergence of effect of climatic change in our environment which calls for attention in food safety.” he opined.
On his part, the Managing Director, Kaduna state Water Board, Comrade Sanusi Maikudi commended the organizers of the event, considering the fact that the environment which climate is an element of it, is the most important gift of God to mankind,
According to him, mankind depends solemn on it for survival, but the foolishness and irresponsibility of mankind, leads to the damaging of the beautiful work of God. Therefore, there is need for paradigm shift through attitudinal changes, so as to make our environment and mankind friendly.
” The environment has a delicate balance, it has a mechanism for self sustenance, it can survive and cleans any pollution, but the rate at which mankind is generating the pollution is on a scale that is more destructive than the natural scale. So, we all must wake and collaborate positively to fight this fight so as to make our environment a dwelling places for all its dwellers.” he advised.
On his part, the representative of the Presidential Support Committee on Climate Change, who is also the acting Secretary Alhaji Gidado Sarki Ibrahim, said that the government of President Buhari is so concerned about climate change, therefore, he advised the organization to continue pushing for government to come to its aid, because once they present a proposal, the government will definitely support them.
He therefore, called on climate reporters to always report things to the right people at the right time, and to also educate people on climate change, which can as well serve as peace building process in our country, Nigeria.
In his own speech ,Mr Adebayo Samuel From Global environmental and climate conservation initiative(GECCI) has called for more trees planting in the entire region of African countries to reduce desertification and deforestation that is affecting the region\
He note that trees planting is the only ulternative to save african forest from turning to desert sahara
According to him, their organization has been donation millions of trees free to women organization, youths and traditional title holders with the aims of encouraging the society on trees planting to combat desertification
He says, there is need for collective responsible for every one including other stake holders with government agencies toward sustaining the fight against global warming and reduce turning forestry to desert sahara
While calling on Government to add more effort toward protecting the forestry against chacaol and firewood business
Similarly, In her own remark, The national president Babbar mace counseling center in Nigeria ,shen called for more women and youth to be involved in the battle against climate change in the community
She stressed the need to for the training of women and youth against air and water pollution
She said, there is an increase dump of trash and other garbage in the gutter,hence the need to raise more awareness on health implication of throwing all sort of plastic trash into the gutter and other water-ways to save the environment
On his part, the Managing Director, Kaduna state Water Board, Comrade Sanusi Maikudi commended the organizers of the event, considering the fact that the environment which climate is an element of it, is the most important gift of God to mankind,
According to him, mankind depends solemn on it for survival, but the foolishness and irresponsibility of mankind, leads to the damaging of the beautiful work of God. Therefore, there is need for paradigm shift through attitudinal changes, so as to make our environment and mankind friendly.
” The environment has a delicate balance, it has a mechanism for self sustenance, it can survive and cleans any pollution, but the rate at which mankind is generating the pollution is on a scale that is more destructive than the natural scale. So, we all must wake and collaborate positively to fight this fight so as to make our environment a dwelling places for all its dwellers.” he advised.
