The Senate Committee on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has urged the implementation of proactive and sustainable policies to address climate change in West Africa.
Chairman of the Committee, Sen. Asuquo Ekpenyong, made the call when members of C7 West Africa Project Consortium paid him a visit in Abuja on Friday, February 21, 2025.
Asuquo noted that one of the most pressing challenges that must be addressed was the growing threat of climate change.
“To tackle it effectively, we need a comprehensive understanding of its impact on the Niger Delta.
“This will enable us to craft and implement policies that are not just reactive but proactive and sustainable.”
Asuquo lamented that decades of oil exploration had caused severe environmental damage to the region, with rising sea levels, flooding, and erratic weather patterns displacing communities and threatening livelihoods.
According to him, these challenges also contribute to the spread of diseases, further straining an already overstretched public health system.
“Moreover, the connection between environmental degradation and social unrest is undeniable.
“To achieve lasting peace, we must first address these root causes.
“However, our response must be guided by reliable data. Without it, our interventions risk being inadequate or misdirected,” Asuquo said.
In his remarks, the leader of the delegation, Air Commodore (Rtd) Darlington Abdullahi, said that the phenomenon of climate change was an existential reality and a threat to the global system.
He said this was evident in the growing crisis across the world, the Sahel region, Northern Nigeria through desertification and the South South of Nigeria as seasonal floods wreaked havoc in its trail.
“Climate change is therefore altering the security landscapes around the world.
“West Africa is experiencing climate change at rates faster than the global average, leading to violent conflicts and complex humanitarian emergencies.
“Nigeria is already having much more than its fair share of this global phenomenon due to its continued impact on natural resource availability, biodiversity and agricultural productivity among others.”
Abdullahi called for research, mitigation and adaptation efforts “we have had to embark on over the past three years to enhance resilience leading to our policy brief”.
By Naomi Sharang