By Tony Icheku

Efforts by the House of Representatives to institutionalise  legislative support for  Nigeria's commitment to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, UNFCCC,  was jumpstarted early this week  as members of a  Joint legislature/executive  Committee to  review the Climate Change Bill comprising House of Representatives, the Ministries of Justice; And Environment Committee begun deliberations  Monday, April 19, 2021.

In his opening remarks at the event which held at Reiz Continental Hotel, Abuja, Nigeria, the coordinator of the joint committee and  sponsor of the bill, Rep. Sam Onuigbo, member representing Ikwuano/Umuahia North/South Federal Constituency,  thanked the Speaker, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila for nominating him to coordinate the committee. 

Onuigbo stated that “Nigeria cannot achieve her ambitious commitment to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change(UNFCCC) without a solid legal base to guide her.” Neither can the country tackle the myriad issues such as security, health, and loss of livelihood means arising from the impacts of Climate Change. 

Speaking during the event, the Director of Legal Drafting Department, Federal Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Ifunanya Nwajagu, stated that it was important to kickstart the review process by itemizing the reasons why the bill was denied assent earlier by Mr. President, and then working together to ensure that those areas of conflict were restructured to ensure that the bill comes alive, addresses all salient points and is assented to by President Muhammadu Buhari. This, she reiterated was important as it will guide the review process. 

Earlier, Mrs. Helen Obayagbon, Director of Legal Services at the Ministry of Environment, had affirmed that Nigeria needs a Climate Change law. She however stated that it was important that in drawing up the bill, attention must be paid to the ailment that the bill seeks to cure and work assiduously towards providing an antidote. 

The joint committee, which included representatives from the Ministries of Justice;  Environment; Climate Change experts, and a member of the National Assembly has the joint mandate of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon.Gbajabiamila, the Honourable Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Hon. Abubakar Malami, and the Ministry of Environment, to review and ensure that Nigeria’s Climate Change bill 2019 is passed and assented to before the end of the year.