A not-for-profit-making organisation in Nigeria, Sterling One Foundation and the British Deputy High Commission have decried the rising effects of climate change in the country, including flooding and drought, urging all stakeholders to rise against these crises by taking sustained actions.
The Chief Executive Officer, Sterling One Foundation, Olapeju Ibekwe, lamented that thousands of people had been displaced in Kogi, Anambra, Bayelsa and other parts of the country as homes, farms and business investments were ravaged by floods.
Recently, communities in eight local government areas in Anambra State were completely submerged by flood, with about 76 people recovered dead.
More than 600 deaths have been recorded in 2022 so far due to flooding, according to National Emergency Management Agency while over 1.4m people were affected and 808,000 persons displaced.
“As partners and stakeholders, how do we respond to the rising incidences of flooding, heatwave, shortage of water, deforestation and other consequences of Climate Change?” Ibekwe posed during a media dialogue on climate action held in Lagos recently in commemoration of the International Day of Climate Action marked on every October 24.
“The International Day of Climate Action is a notable day globally for us to take stock of progress achieved and appraise the rest of the journey with a view to defining the most effective next steps to achieve the global goal of cutting emissions and going green,” she added.
Ibekwe noted that as the world recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic, a greater pandemic with multi-dimensional impacts and life changing implications is inherent in climate change
