In a bid to help forestall the disastrous effects of climate change, the House of Representatives says it would pay more attention to climate change issues that are becoming almost a global emergency.
Speaking to newsmen after a stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja, spokesman of the House, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, expressed the readiness of the parliament to support advocacy for monitoring climate change, stressing that experts have recommended at least 9,000 climate observation centers for Nigeria, a number far away from what is existing at the moment.
Kalu who said there was a need to pay serious attention to the budget of MDAs in the sector and ensure that provisions are made to address challenges, added that there is a committee on climate change retained by the 9th assembly that needs to be rejigged and re-energized.
According to him: “We need to talk about the security of our environment, take gas flaring, the Senate is already working on a bill, so we are waiting. Nigerians need to know that we are taking our environment seriously.
“The House is about to rejig the committee on climate change, so there is going to better impact soon, as strategic collaboration and partnership are being worked out.
When asked on whether the parliament will consider a supplementary budget in that regard, the lawmaker responded that “It appears as the days go by, the need to address the issues increases”, adding that “as we go into supplementary budget, it is being pressured to consider it as an emergency.”
He reiterated his earlier assertion that the House of Representatives was very broke, and is unable to fix some basic necessities that will assist members to function effectively, noting that the National Assembly’s budget had remained at about the same amount over the years, even with the high exchange rate as it is today.
“The purchasing power of the naira today is what it was 10 years ago, and that is a simple truth”, he stated
