Desert Encroachment May Wipe Away Northern Nigeria – NGOs
Written by Samuel Samaila Aruwan, Kaduna
Tuesday, 08 December 2009 19:40
A coalition of non-governmental organisations, Civil Rights Congress (CRC) and Climate Change West Africa Region Network (CLICWAN), have stated that the Northern Nigeria is under a serious environmental challenge with the possibility of severe environmental denigration, following the persistent desert encroachment of the region which the groups added, is not receiving attention along with other environmental negative effects to the well-being of the region.

Addressing a peaceful demonstration in Kaduna yesterday against the global 'Climate Change' campaign, Comrade Shehu Sani, said "This gathering today is in line with what is happening all over the whole today. The world is gathering on the issue of climate change, proposals, suggestions and views are being proffered on how we can save our planet.

People are cutting down trees and our environment threatened, and our lives as people living on this planet is also threatened.

How can we check the emission of green gas? What can we do to contribute to the lowering of this gas? I think the little we can is a mass rally like this to raise awareness and to bring people to the know. And without us putting our hands together, our planet is at peril, the need to save our planet is a crucial challenge, the need to preserve and conserve our planet is an enormous task".

Continuing, Sani, who argued that Nigerians are not conscious of environmental issues added, "Is not something we can ignore because it is real threat and danger. In this part of the country, we are not fortunate to have the massive number of industries that will emit dangerous gases which in turn will affect our environment. But we can see the rise of number of generators and motorcycles that emit gases that affect the oxen layer; we are here today to make a point that until and unless we check the encroachment of desert, it will soon be too late.

“The animals that used to be in reserves are no more, the places that used to have snows are no more, occurances of rain is sporadic and erratic. We have seen cases around the world to the extent that many are not concerned.

"This gathering is about awareness, letting the world know and be fully alerted, particularly the government that there is the need to commit more resources and the need to have a stronger political will to make the changes that is necessary to preserve and conserve our planet.

We are calling on the government to be serious in this issue because if there is no water, there will be no life, and if there is no oxygen, there will be no life".