Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt
The United States of America has reiterated its commitment to ending gas flaring and combating climate change in the Niger Delta.
United States Consul General to Nigeria, Will Stevens, made the commitment while speaking at an awareness training for journalists on Climate Journalism organised by the Office of the United States Consul General in conjunction with Media Awareness and Justice Initiative (MAJI) in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Stevens stated that combating climate change is one of the key pillars of President Joe Biden’s administration.
He disclosed that they have been working with the National Oil Spills Detection and Remediation Agency (NOSDRA) and other agencies to combat climate change in the country.
“Climate Change is one of the key pillars of President Joe Biden’s administration, he had the first ever Special Presidential Envoy for climate change, Sean Kerry; we invested our commitment to the COP 28, 29 climate agreement.
“We are working hard with Nigeria to ensure that Nigeria continues to make the amazing commitments that they’ve made to combat climate change to reduce flaring and natural gas, to clean up the oil spills that are happening.
“Right here in Port Harcourt, we worked together with NOSDRA on oil spills in Eleme, we have scientists from the United States Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, to work together to share expertise.
“It’s about partnering, climate change is a global problem that impacts every citizen in the world, so we need to work together to fight it,” he said.
The US Consul General lauded journalists covering the environment for their enormous job in the Niger Delta and in protecting democracy, expressing delight in partnering the media in combating climate change in the Niger Delta.
“We believe that when journalists do their jobs, they hold government and the institutions accountable to do the things they say they would do because without that, citizens won’t be informed and democracy will be weak,” he stated.
On his part, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Prof. Owunari Georgewill, said the institution would continue to provide the needed environment for advancement of knowledge while thanking the US Consulate for the training.
Earlier, Mr. Onyekachi Okoro, Executive Director, Media Awareness and Justice Initiative, MAJI, said the training is important for building the capacity of journalists to be able to tell their stories accurately.
He explained that the organisation has developed an application to aid in accessing and reporting the quality air in the Niger Delta and also report spill incidences.
