Appoint Expert As Commissioner For environ – Kaduna Forum Urges El-Rufai

Forum, comprise of environmental journalists and non-governmental organizations working around environment, rose from a one-day meeting in Kaduna on Friday, to call on the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, to appoint experts in technical ministries in the state.

Specifically, the forum wanted an expert to be appointed as the commissioner for Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MENR), in order to manage environmental issues in the state close to the global environmental best practices.

This, the forum, said became necessary due to emerging environmental issues especially, flooding and deforestation which is contributing immensely to climate change where sub-Saharan Africa countries, including Nigeria, suffer consequences. 

Over the years, the state government has been appointing people with little or no technical-know-how to man the ministry which has been making it ineffective enough in the discharge of it’s responsibilities.

Addressing the forum on the need for effective collaboration among the environmental enthusiasts in the state, Hannatu Mato, who anchored the meeting on behalf of Africa Media Development Foundation (AMDF) said, her organisation was partnering with media practitioners and other non-governmental to mitigate the issue of climate change in Kaduna by way of increased awareness and education.

“AMDF is worried about issues of climate change. We have been partnering with some journalists who work around environment here in Kaduna State to push for global best practices when it comes to environment.

“This year’s global environmental day focused on air pollution which affect all of us. You can see the emision from dumping sites, emision from articulated vehicles on our roads as well as from generating sets from our homes. All these are dangerous to our health. 

“The good thing is that, these challenges are surmountable if we have proper laws and experts in place to implement it. Climate change has come to live with us but we must find a way of managing it.” she hoped.

Elsewhere, Founder, Bridge That Gap Initiative, Gloria Kasang Bulus, noted that, “as it stands, there is no any specific environmental laws to check environmental issues like climate change, flooding and air pollution in Kaduna State.”