From Lateef Taiwo

Stakeholders in Environmental sector have lamented the high rate of Deforestation in the country.

Speaking at a one-day seminar organised by the Development Agenda in collaboration with Environmental Media Correspondents Association of Nigeria in Abuja with the theme: “Climate Change and COP28: The Way Forward For Nigeria”.

The Emir of Nasarawa, Alhaji Ibrahim Usman Jibril stated that Nigeria is currently being plagued with a couple of Environmental issues which includes deforestation, land encroachment, oil pollution among others.

The former minister of state for environment explained that the rising sea level at the coastal areas, climate change, deforestation, drought and desertification are some of the environmental challenges affecting Nigeria.

He added that although the government has placed a ban on the use of charcoal, the government cannot stop households from cooking with charcoal without providing alternative means of fuel.

In his address, the Publisher and Editor-in-chief of Development Agenda Magazine, Mr Paddy Ezeala dis loses that Nigeria is experiencing four percent forest loss annually, which is considered highest globally.

The environment activist lamented the reckless high rate of felling of trees in some states in Nigeria such as Cross River, Ondo, Ogun, as well as some North Central States.
He revealed that an estimate of 1.5 million trees are fell daily through illegal logging, thereby leading to 3.5 percent deforestation annually.
He said that the discovery of a foreign privately-owned charcoal producing factory in Nsukka, Enugu state worsened the destruction caused by the foreigners, adding that the adjoining states were affected by the massive logging.
Ezeala hinted that between 1981 and 2000, Nigeria lost 3.7 million hectares of forests which implied colossal loss of biodiversity.
The forest cover had depleted to less than 10 percent as against the mandate of the Food and Agricultural Organizations’ (FAO) that each state is expected to keep its forest cover to a minimum of 25 percent of its land area.
While about 484 plant species are threatened with extinction, the publisher lamented the absence of measures aimed at encouraging forest regeneration
“Related to this is the absence of a valuation system to place a value on forest resources so that when forests are destroyed through individual or corporate negligence, adequate compensation will be paid,” he said.
He stated that there is a need to develop more environmentally and socially equitable approaches to forest management in Nigeria, noting that the wanton destruction of forests across the country must be checked.
Ezeala added: “Forests perform a broad range of critical environmental and climatic functions, including the maintenance of constant supply of water. Forests harbour species and at the same time have very deep economic, aesthetic, industrial and religious significance for humans.
“However, economic development pressures often lead to the conversion of forest ecosystems without consideration for both the long-term economic costs and the implications of the immediate loss of biodiversity, ecosystem structure and function.”
He sought the need to harness the potential of the forests toward the development of eco-tourism and scientific research rather than continued illegal logging and wildlife trafficking.
The publisher maintained that Nigeria’s remaining rainforests harbour about 4000 different species of plants, including those effective in the development of alternative medicine.
“There are also animals, including birds that can be found only in Nigeria. These include the Ibadan malimbe, Anambra waxbill, Jos indigo bird, white-throated monkey (Cercopithecus erythrogaster pococki), Niger Delta pigmy hippo and Niger Delta red colobus monkey.
“The question is what has been done to protect, harness and develop these natural endowments? In other words, we should be able to fashion a sustainable development strategy that ensures the prosperity of humans while living in a way that synchronises with the natural environment”, he said.
Ezela harped on the need to priortise tree planting and secure protected areas, noting that the National Park Service and others managing the protected areas should be supported.

The Conservator-General of National Parks Service (NPS) Dr Ibrahim Goni in his speech, urged the media to publish more stories on climate change as he said the national parks are immensely contributing in mitigating climate change in the country.

Goni said in 2020, the Federal Government approved the establishment of 10 new national parks to complement the existing parks across the country but three years down the line, the parks are yet to take-off.

He however stated this to be as a result of the delay in the release of gazette by the Ministry of Justice.

Goni said as soon as the gazette is released that the parks will take-off immediately as the NPS has received approval from the Federal Government.

The Chairman of EMCAN, Mr Chuks Oyema said that the essence of the seminar was to showcase how Nigeria is tackling climate change and how the government is prepared for COP28.

He urged the media to publish more stories on climate change and embark on collective actions toward mitigating the impact of climate change on the environment.

The 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) is scheduled to hold in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The Conference will garner more than 70,000 participants, including heads of state and government, government officials, representatives of international organisations, business leaders, academics and civil society organisations.

198 countries including Nigeria that have ratified the Convention are called Parties to the Convention.