From Charity Nwakaudu, Abuja
The Minister of Water Resources Sulieman Adamu has said that plans are on to incorporate climate change into national policy.
Adamu stated this while declaring open a two-day Nigeria National Committee for UNESCO Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme symposium in Abuja.
The minister, represented by the Director of Hydrological in the ministry, Adeyinka Adenukpor, explained that the water sector is very vulnerable to climate swings and has been identified as the primary medium through which climate change would impact man and the ecosystem.
“In our national policy, we will incorporate this issue that we are preaching, the global messages, that is all over the world, we are going to internalise it in our national policies.
‘The experts are here to brainstorm on how to reduce climate change hazards in the world and particularly in Nigeria” the minister added.
He further stressed that Climate change affects virtually every aspect of life, be it health, environment, energy, food production even education and efforts must be geared towards developing an appropriate and scientific basis for sustainable planning and development of water resources.
The minister called on all stakeholders to participate actively in developing Climate Change Model Guild for all the Hydrological areas.
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In his welcome remarks, the Chairman of the Nigeria National Committee for UNESCO Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme, Professor David Jimoh explained that the federal government has set up the Climate Change Council to advise it on water-related issues as affected by Climate Change and recommend it through relevant MDAs of the government.
He further explained that Nigeria will play a key role in the Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme strategic plan which would help the nation achieve the sustainable development goals related to water and sanitation.
In his goodwill message, the Secretary of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme, Dr Abou Amani urged Nigeria to look for ways to implement the IHP action plan by advising the government on how science be used to address corporate water challenges adding that a reliable and consistent hydrological database is inevitable.
On his part, the Director General of the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency, NIHSA, Mr Clement Nze said the purpose of the symposium was to educate Nigeria’s water resources stakeholders on adaptation, and the meditation of climate change in the country.
‘We are no longer talking about prevention of climate change hazards but we can adapt to it” Nze stressed.
The International Hydrological Programme (IHP) created in 1975 has been instrumental in contributing to improved knowledge of water resources in Sub-Saharan Africa.
IHP is the only intergovernmental programme of the UN System devoted to water research, water resources management, and education and capacity building.