The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Dr Usani Uguru Usani has disclosed that the preparation of the Document: “Niger Delta Region Climate Change Programme and Action Plan” was necessitated by the need to address the social and economic development of the Niger Delta region of Nigeria.
The Minister who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Alhaji Aminu Aliyu Bisalla made the remark at the side event of Cop 24 at the Climate Change Conference, Katowice, Poland 2018.
Dr Usani said that the pace and effects of climate change in the Niger Delta are increasing and unless the trend is reversed, human as well as physical ecologies are bound to be seriously impacted as it is being presently observed in many of the communities in the Niger Delta region.
The Minister disclosed that the document which was launched in Calabar Cross River State, Nigeria, last month investigates and reports on the effects of Climate Change in the Niger Delta region, national and available state policies for addressing Climate Change and their relationship with the Niger Delta.
According to the Honourable Minister, the essence of the document was to guide the Niger Delta region and other stakeholders on the implementation of collective measures to address climate change impacts and causes through adaptation, mitigation and other measures.
Dr Usani disclosed that some of the climate change programmes and projects in the document for poverty alleviation and sustainable livelihood include:restoration of depleted habitats and sustainable management of biological resources in the Niger, climate change resilience and vulnerability mapping, flood control and management and early warning systems, erosion control projects, shore protection, land reclamation, ecosystem reclamation among others.
He said that the set of programmes and action plan provide an integrated, harmonised, and multisectoral framework for responding and combating climate change in the Niger Delta through comprehensive adaptation, mitigation and other measures.
The Minister’s representatives thereafter presented the document “Niger Delta Region Climate Change Programme and Action Plan” to the international community.
Stakeholders, development partners, donor agencies and other interested organisations in the Niger Delta region development are invited to key into the climate change action plan.
In his remarks at the event, Senator Foster Ogola, the Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment commended the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs for the document and called for international intervention in the development of the Niger Delta region in view of its contribution to Nigeria’s economy.
Senator Ogola also disclosed that the 8th National Assembly would pass the Gas Flaring Bill before the expiration of its tenure to address the issue of gas flaring in the Niger Delta region.
Mr Al-Hamndou Dorsouma, the Division Manager Climate Change, African Development Bank also applauded the ministry for the document, adding that it was a step further in addressing the effects of climate in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria.
He advised that the document is reviewed after the 2018 Conference on Climate Change. Mr Dorsouma also assured that the African Development Bank would assist Nigeria in its climate change programme.
