To live up to the spirit and letter of our dream on climate Change. Developed countries must come to the assistance of Africa who are at receiving end of Climate Change.”
By Deborah Hassan
365Daily – The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, has lamented that Africa is at the receiving end of climate change, while emphasising the need for the developed countries of the world to assist the continent in overcoming the challenges.
Kalu made the declaration while contributing to the general debate on the “Parliamentary action for peace, justice, and strong institutions (SDG 16)” at the Thursday session of the ongoing 147th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Luanda, Angola.
A statement issued on Friday by the Chief Press Secretary to the Deputy Speaker, Levinus Nwabughiogu, said Kanu recalled that the National Assembly passed the climate change bill into law to ensure that global standards were met.
He quoted him as saying: “In response to the partnership for climate action, Nigeria passed the Climate Change Act meant to ensure that global standards are met. To live up to the spirit and letter of our dream on climate Change. Developed countries must come to the assistance of Africa who are at receiving end of Climate Change.”
He added: “The National Assembly has also passed the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), which reformed the Nigerian oil and gas sector. The PIA is expected to promote transparency and accountability in the sector, strengthen the institutional framework, and attract investment.”
The Deputy Speaker further stated that Nigeria has experienced a number of challenges in recent years, including the insurgency in the North East, environmental degradation and underdevelopment in the Niger Delta, and agitations in the South East however said that proactive steps have been taken for the enactment of Northeast Development commission, Niger Delta Development Commission with other bills such as the south east development commission which is a work in progress as a way of addressing the issues.
Decrying the violence in Sudan where the absence of self-counsel and wisdom has led to utter destruction of the nation and more recently, the avoidable devastation of lives and property in Ukraine, Israel and Gaza, Kalu urged the global leaders to find solutions rather than trading blames.
“And this, we must do. In addition, threats to democracy in Africa seen in recent coups in some African countries must be addressed especially the underlying causative factors”, Kalu