Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, Monday tasked the Global Legislators Organisation (GLOBE) Nigeria, to tackle the challenges of climate change, gas flaring and others affecting sustainable development goals in Nigeria.

The Global Legislators Organization (GLOBE) is an international organization comprising national parliamentarians from over 80 countries committed to developing and overseeing the implementation of laws in pursuit of sustainable development.

According to a statement by the Special Assistant to the Senate President on Print Media, Chuks Okocha, Saraki urged the members of the organisation not to relent in their effort to address the challenges posed by climate change, gas flaring and sustainable development in Nigeria through the provisions of purposeful legislations.

Saraki urged the group to fashion out legislations that would address issues of climate change as is the situation all over the world.

He said: “A lot of pronouncements have been made by the government, and by the last National Assembly without legislative backing and we will just continue to see this as mere pronouncements. Am aware that as legislators that meet and discuss issues on Climate, we are the first country in West Africa and am happy with the kind of report the network is receiving.

“We want Nigeria to become the major hub of Globe Worldwide, to provide leadership in Africa.  Some of the things we see here, even in the sub-Sahara Africa, countries have gone so far in some of these legislations on the Climate  Change and sustainable developments.

“Am very happy of what I heard today on the close work between the Senate and the House of Representatives to see that Climate Change is addressed through  legislative processes.

“In Nigeria, we need to know that we have lots of work to do and I think that it can only be done with an organisation like this which is non-political or seeking the interest of one party, so that we can do what is best for our country”, Saraki said.

President of the Globe Nigeria, Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim, appealed to the Senate President  to support the Climate Change Bill which will be introduced concurrently soon at both chambers of the National Assembly.

Ibrahim said:  “You may recall our unique and desperate situation regarding the effect of Climate Change on our people. Very recently, Nigeria recorded more than 300 deaths as a result of meningitis outbreak; this epidemic cannot be unconnected to our worsening climate and heat waves.

“As a purpose-driven caucus of the Nigerian parliament, we have a responsibility to protect our people through effective legislation and oversight on climate-induced diseases, migration, conflicts and food insecurity.

“Climate Change is one of the flagship issues the GLOBE Organization has been advocating support for since its establishment and we will be happy to pull some political support from you for the upcoming Climate Change Bill”, he stated.

Other bills lined up for the Senate President’s support, he said,  includes the Gas Flaring Prohibition Bill, Access to Clean Energy Services and Technology Bill as well as an intervention on natural capital and sustainable development.

Senator Ibrahim assured the Senate President that the vision with which he established GLOBE Nigeria would be pursued with utmost dedication and commitment.

He said that the GLOBE Nigeria would  ensure that funds approved and released to the group  is judiciously used and in the spirit of engaging with only the things that will uphold the Nigerian legislature and associated social impact on the lives of the people.

Culled from: The Nation Newspaper