The Ecuadorian Ambassador to Nigeria, HE Leopoldo Rovayo, in partnership with Young Journalists Forum, discussed pertinent issues around climate change at the Embassy in Abuja on Friday.
The forum which is been coordinated by Mr. Chukwuma Nzeh had its first theme on MIGRATION IN AFRICA last month.
Speaking at the occasion, Ambassador Leopoldo Rovayo welcomed all in attendance and said the topic ‘is a global phenomenon that needed to be addressed and the need for Journalists to play their role in the society by creating awareness on these issues’. He further said that his country is affected by this phenomena with the melting of the glaciers from the high mountains of the Andes that is affecting the water as a resource for agriculture and hydro electrical power plants in the main time.
Mr. Mike Omeri who shared the sentiments of Ambassador said he is willing to support by using his media platform to sensitize the people.
Other speakers were Mr. Victor Ayodeji Fodeke, Ph. D Hubert H. Humphrey/Ashoka Fellow, Director General, Africa Clean Energy Summit Group, Florida, USA, Registered Consultant, Enforcement Branch and UNFCCC Compliance Committee who said ‘it is a great honor to be invited to address the topic which affects every citizen and organizations on this planet Earth. Climate change presents real and measurable risks to the social economic and ecological systems on which businesses depend’.
He said that ‘technologies such as, energy-efficient cook stoves not only improve health by reducing indoor air pollution, they also reduce the demand for fuelwood from local forests, as well as reduce greenhouse gas emissions and black carbon(soot) which is claiming annually, over 135,000 mortality of our women and children.
Also he recalled the effort of the Federal Government of Nigeria recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Rebranding the impact of Climate Change on health as a Public Health Issue in Nigeria.
Mrs Abiodun Baiyewu – Teru, director of the NGO Global Rights described how this issue was already affecting Nigeria, saying that one of the major problems in Nigeria and the world was the scarcity of water.
Miss Ifeoma Malo from POWER FOR ALL said that Nigeria should move to clean energy because we have the main source as the sun.
The audience were amazed when she said that there are rural areas in Nigeria that had been using solar energy since 25 years.
