The governor of Niger State, Mohammed Bago, has expressed alarm about the adverse impacts of climate change, claiming that it is partially to blame for the recent spike in insecurity seen around the nation.The governor urged the media to adequately cover climate change while noting that its repercussions are not widely reported.
At a retreat on climate change hosted by the Niger State Government for the House of Representatives Press Corps on Friday in Minna, the capital of Niger State, Bago made this statement.
Bago, who was represented by Yakubu Garba, the deputy governor of Niger State, cited climate change as one of the nation's most pressing issues.
He stated, "Climate change is a concern to governments and experts in Nigeria since it is occurring at a very alarming level. Floods, desertification, environmental pollution, and other issues plague us, and despite our best efforts, yearly reports document the disastrous repercussions of climate change. Even some of the current unrest is a result of climate change, which requires urgent attention.
Sadly, it appears that some of these catastrophes are even underreported. It's possible that the media is underprepared to cover this. I think it's crucial that you develop the abilities and resources to mainstream climate change as journalists who cover the legislature, where laws are passed. You can use this to determine the legislative and executive branches' agendas.
Bago added justifications for why the Niger State Government will organize a summit on the green economy the following week.
"Under my direction, the Niger State government prioritizes addressing climate change to lessen the impact of both natural and man-made disasters. This influences the choice to call a summit on the green economy.
We have increased the stakes in educating the public about preventive steps to preserve lives and lessen damage to property and infrastructure since I took office. We are willing to work with the media to advance this campaign and develop plans to bring climate change issues to the forefront," he continued.
Director General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies, Abubakar Suleiman, urged the media to play a proactive role in educating the public about the significance of climate change policies and their role in the preservation of the environment in his keynote address, which had the theme "The role of the media in mainstreaming climate change policies."
The NILDS DG was represented by Mr. Kudu Abubakar, General Manager of Democracy Radio. He stated, "The media must keep the legislature informed about issues and developments in climate change policies so that when it fails, it can be held accountable."
Grace Ike, chair of the House of Representatives Press Corps, emphasized the significance of the media in the sharing of information earlier in her welcome speech.
We are all aware that the media has a big impact on how society develops. And any public figure or elected official who is smart and wants to succeed always cultivates relationships with the media because no matter how well you do, if the media does not share your story, your accomplishments will remain mysterious and anonymous.
"Climate change has, as we are all aware, had a variety of effects on our daily lives. Our ecosystem and environment have been impacted by this. It's interesting to note that the government is also developing a number of strategies to lessen the effects of global warming, not just in Niger State. Thus, it is our duty as reporters to convey and appropriately spread this information, she stated.