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| Dr Ezekwe |
UniAbuja Social Sciences faculty holds talks on
desertification
desertification
By Emmanuel ologun,
Abuja
The growing environmental challenges and severe
weather conditions in the country associated with climate change had drawn the
attention of the Faculty of Social Sciences of the University of Abuja
(UniAbuja).
weather conditions in the country associated with climate change had drawn the
attention of the Faculty of Social Sciences of the University of Abuja
(UniAbuja).
Speaking at the International Conference on Social
Responsibility, Governance, Environmental Challenges and the Prospects of
Sustainable Development in Nigeria, Director-General of the Nigeria
Meteorological Agency (NIMET), Professor Sani Mashi, said that federal, state
and local governments should introduce drastic measures to regulate the felling
of trees by villagers for cooking.
Responsibility, Governance, Environmental Challenges and the Prospects of
Sustainable Development in Nigeria, Director-General of the Nigeria
Meteorological Agency (NIMET), Professor Sani Mashi, said that federal, state
and local governments should introduce drastic measures to regulate the felling
of trees by villagers for cooking.
He said that the rate of desertification had become
very alarming, declaring that it deserved radical policies to stem further
deterioration of climate change impact on the nation’s environment.
very alarming, declaring that it deserved radical policies to stem further
deterioration of climate change impact on the nation’s environment.
The director-general blamed desertification on climate
change, over-grazing, the shrinking of Lake Chad and the cutting of trees by
villagers for domestic cooking.
change, over-grazing, the shrinking of Lake Chad and the cutting of trees by
villagers for domestic cooking.
Mashi was represented at the event by a director at
NIMET, Dr Clinton Ifeanyichukwu Ezekwe, who said that efforts by governments at
all levels to plant trees had been thwarted annually by tree logging and
urbanisation with the result that forests of the country are fast diminishing.
NIMET, Dr Clinton Ifeanyichukwu Ezekwe, who said that efforts by governments at
all levels to plant trees had been thwarted annually by tree logging and
urbanisation with the result that forests of the country are fast diminishing.
Former Minister of National Planning, Professor
Abubakar Olarenwaju Sulaiman, who is now the director-general of the Nigeria
Legislative Institute (NILDS), agreed in his keynote address that the nation
faces serious environmental challenges that should be seriously tackled, which
otherwise will throw the nation into a major crisis of epidemic proportion in
the near future.
Abubakar Olarenwaju Sulaiman, who is now the director-general of the Nigeria
Legislative Institute (NILDS), agreed in his keynote address that the nation
faces serious environmental challenges that should be seriously tackled, which
otherwise will throw the nation into a major crisis of epidemic proportion in
the near future.
“Nigeria, as a developing country, must promote active
and effective governance that delivers quality services to citizens and manages
public goods, including land and other natural resources for the benefit of
all.
and effective governance that delivers quality services to citizens and manages
public goods, including land and other natural resources for the benefit of
all.
“Sustainable development implies the need to meet the
present demands without compromising those of the future. This goes beyond
protecting finite recourses and ultimately includes protecting the environment
and dealing with challenges of the 21st century in an effective and
efficient manner,” Professor Sulaiman said.
present demands without compromising those of the future. This goes beyond
protecting finite recourses and ultimately includes protecting the environment
and dealing with challenges of the 21st century in an effective and
efficient manner,” Professor Sulaiman said.
Supporting the positions of the speakers, Dean,
Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Abuja, Professor Yusuf Zoaka, said
the national planning strategy was allowed to derail from the period the
military changed the five-year development plan into a rolling programme, which
had not served the nation well or promoted equitable development.
Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Abuja, Professor Yusuf Zoaka, said
the national planning strategy was allowed to derail from the period the
military changed the five-year development plan into a rolling programme, which
had not served the nation well or promoted equitable development.
He emphasized that the nation’s leaders got the
planning strategies wrong when long term plans which would have been more
productive were jettisoned without providing something better as replacement.
planning strategies wrong when long term plans which would have been more
productive were jettisoned without providing something better as replacement.
Zoaka declared that social inequalities, failure by
government at all levels and lack of parental care had helped to worsen
the nation’s problems and might lead to a bigger crisis unless serious
solutions were found to change the narrative.
government at all levels and lack of parental care had helped to worsen
the nation’s problems and might lead to a bigger crisis unless serious
solutions were found to change the narrative.
The don advised against the growing neglect of quality
education and also warned that insecurity may worsen when the government
abdicates the responsibility of adequately protecting the citizenry.
education and also warned that insecurity may worsen when the government
abdicates the responsibility of adequately protecting the citizenry.
“The people cannot protect themselves. Part of the
primary duties of government includes the protection of lives and properties.
The moment the government falls short in these areas, a serious problem
arises.”
primary duties of government includes the protection of lives and properties.
The moment the government falls short in these areas, a serious problem
arises.”
He faulted the policy of opening the nation’s borders
to African nationals due to the faulty concept that Nigeria is the giant of
Africa.
to African nationals due to the faulty concept that Nigeria is the giant of
Africa.
“Responsible people do not run a country that way
because such things promote banditry, terrorism, robbery, and kidnapping,
among others.”
because such things promote banditry, terrorism, robbery, and kidnapping,
among others.”
The faculty later conferred awards on several
distinguished personalities, including the vice chancellor of the UniAbuja,
Professor Abdul-Rasheed Na’Allah, and the vice chancellor, Nasarawa State
University, Keffi (NSUK), Professor Suleiman Bala Mohammed, who was the
chairman of the conference