Samuel Luka, Bauchi
As part of program towards COP27, a consortium of International Non-Governmental organizations (INGOs) under the African Activist for Climate Justice have organized a football match for the youth in Gamawa local government area of Bauchi state in order to create awareness on the negative effect of climate change.
The Project Manager of the organization, Mr. Shuaibu Aliyu Kobi while addressing the youth, said that the significance of the match was part of program towards COP27 to create awareness among the youth about the devastating effect of climate change and how to mitigate it.
Mr. Kobi who also flagged-off the distribution of 3,000 tree seedlings for planting, challenged the youth to be in the forefront in the fight against climate change, describing Bauchi, particularly Gamawa as one of the most flood ravaged area this year.
"As you are aware that Bauchi state is one of the states that is witnessing the impact of climate change and the climate change has affected so many people including Gamawa where we are today. So we are using this football match to create awareness among the youth so that at least, the community can put resilience on how to minimize the effect of this climate change around them", he said.
According to him, "apart from the football match, we have also provided 3,000 different types of tree seedlings which we are going to distribute to the youth to encourage tree planting".
"Apart from bringing the youth together in this football match, we want to also use the opportunity to promote tree planting campaign which we believe is one of the key things that the Communities can do to prevent the effect of climate change", Mr. Kobi said.
The Project Manager who highlighted some of the effect of climate change to include flooding, desertification, desert encroachment, said that the NGO is encouraging tree planting as one of the measures it believed can minimize the effect climate change.
"We have provided 3,000 seedlings of different varieties which we intend to, at the end of the day achieve three things at the same time, we want the youth to understand how to plant and nurture trees on their own and we also want to distribute these seedlings for them to go and plant them in their various Communities", he further explained.
Mr. Kobi who noted that Ganjuwa, Ningi, Jama'are, Zaki, Gamawa and Dambam were hit by flood this year, noted that Gamawa was chosen for the campaign purposely because a lot of people were affected.
"A lot of households were displaced and that is why we chose this local government so that they can take action in order to mitigate or prevent this kind of disaster in future", Mr. Kobi explained.
The project manager while expressing contentment on the large turn out and participation of the youth during the campaign, said though the NGO facilitated the match, it came to reality due to the overwhelming acceptance of the program by the youth.
He said that the football match was contested for by different Communities of Gamawa LG, adding that "we are here to witness the final stage of the competition".
Mr. Kobi who decried that the effect of climate change has affected a lot of communities in Gamawa LGA, said there must to be converted effort by all, to nip in the bud the effect of climate change.
While expressing optimisms that at the end of the program, the youth and the entire people of Gamawa LG would take up the challenge and become environmental activists, Mr. Kobi hoped that the communities can have voices where they can discuss the issue at stake and call on the attention of government and various international authorities based on their plights so that measures can be taken to minimize the effect of climate change.
Also speaking, Musa A. Garba Kore, Director Revenue of Gamawa LG said that the match was organized to harmonize and gather cooperation between the youth towards the fight against climate change.
Representing the Head of Administration of the local government, Garba Kore who described the effort of the NGO as a very good initiative, added that the move is an achievement to Gamawa local government.
Garba Kore who assured the NGO of the LG's support and cooperation towards the initiative to enable them succeed, added that the doors of the local government authority will remain opened to the NGO for any assistance.
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