The Federal Government has inaugurated Climate Justice Youth Ambassadors (CJYA) as part of activities to commemorate World Environment Day.
CJYA is an initiative of Oxfam Nigeria geared towards the promotion of a sustainable environment.
The Minister of Environment, Mr Balarabe Lawal while inaugurating the ambassadors on Wednesday in Abuja, lauded Oxfam for mobilising youth to be the vanguard of environmental protection.
He said that the constitution of the ambassadors was a great progress in the nation’s efforts to ensure environmental sustainability.
Lawal said that environmental protection was not the responsibility of the Federal Government and States alone but for all and sundry.
“We need to continue to propagate the issue of climate justice from big cities like Kano, Lagos Port Harcourt among others which are major polluters of the environment.
“We in the ministry are on it and we need to fight for climate justice at all levels.
“l assured Oxfam that the ministry will continue to support and provide all that is required to achieve climate justice across board to ensure sustainable environment for our future generations,” he said.
The Climate Justice Project Coordinator, Oxfam Nigeria, Kenneth Akpan said the organisation through the African Activist for Climate Justice (AACI) Project, has deepened its engagements towards ending poverty.
Akpan said the vulnerable populace includes women, youths and persons with disability in the face of climate reality and injustice.
He said the justice ambassadors were borne out of the AACI project to tap into the strength, and capacity of youths as solution-bearers to the country’s challenges.
According to him, it is also to support the government as foot soldiers to deepen and carry out the government’s drive to solve the global crises at the grassroots, local, state, and national among others.
“The mission is to see how Nigerian youths can become global leaders and reference point to the global climate crisis starting from home.
“We have encouraged them to take charge as climate activists, leaders of tomorrow in climate space.
“Among these ambassadors are youth that are converting plastic into interlocking tiles, youth that are taking care of Jabi Lake by removing water hyacinth and recycling it and others.
”They have come up with climate gain that children can play and improve their knowledge on climate action,” he said.
The World Environment Day is commemorated annually on June 5 with the theme ” Land Restoration, Desertification and Drought Resilience.”
The event to mark the day was a quiz competition by Government Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) Wuse, Maitama and Jabi.
JSS Jabi emerged winner, JSS Wuse came second and Maitama came third.
NAN
