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Cash Prizes Given to Winners of National Essay Competition on Climate Change
Cash Prizes Given to Winners of National Essay Competition on Climate Change
By: Michael Mike
The Centre for Climate Change and Development, Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu Alike, Ebonyi State has given cash prizes to three top winners of this year’s essay on climate change.
This is the second year running that the award would be given. The title of this year’s essay is “Climate Change and Nigeria’s Economic Development: A letter to my incoming President.
The candidates whose essays were adjudged the best after a thorough review and assessment by independent panel of judges received N200,000, N150,000 and N100,000 during an award ceremony event in Abuja organised by the Centre in collaboration with the Sustainable Development Centre.
The winners, Israel Oghenefiro Orere, an undergraduate student of Petroleum Engineering at the University of Lagos,; James Afomare Owan , an Engineering graduate and Promise Okwuchukwu an undergraduate of Law at University of Nigeria Nsukka, , emerged first, second and third best winners, respectively, were among the over 200 entries received by the Centre.
Speaking during the hybrid event, the Director Centre for Climate Change and Development Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu Alike, Prof Chukwumerije Okereke eulogized the participants in the essay content for submitting quality essays that encouraged him to opt for an event that would show the winners to both national and international audience.
He said that climate change is not just an environmental problem but a national economic development problem. He said the reason for the second national essay competition is to encourage Nigerian youths to be engaged with climate change and also necessary to alert the incoming President on the economic development implications of climate change for Nigeria and the need for urgent action to tackle the challenge.
He said the CCCD-AEFUNAI will continue to do it’s best to encourage the Nigerian youths to get involved in articulating and advancing action on climate change.
The Director General of the National Council on Climate Change, Dr. Salisu Dahiru said Nigeria has made several bold commitments on climate change led by President Muhammadu Buhari. According to Dr. Dahiru, the President desires to see Nigeria play its own role in tackling the menace of climate change. He said he was delighted to see several young people in the audience and said that the NCCC is an inclusive institution that is desired to accommodate different voices including the youth, women and people of disability in tackling climate change.
The DG called the youth to engage on climate change and to engage with the council to pull all efforts together to ensure that climate change is tackled adequately in Nigeria.
Salisu Dahiru, represented by Michael Ivenso who is the head of the Directorate of Energy, Infrastructure and Transportation of the National Council on Climate Change commission also said that climate change is a national emergency that requires everybody to participate. He said that the DG has asked him to thank all of the youth present or participating and asked him to enjoined the Nigerian youths to work together with the council to build effective responses to climate change.
On his part, the sponsor of the climate change act and a member representing the Ikwuano/Umuahia North/South in the Federal House of Representatives and the former chairman House Committee on Climate Change, Hon. Sam Onuigbo, said that there is strong interconnection between climate change and economic growth but also that Climate Change action represents an opportunity to build a prosperous sustainable green economy for the country.
Onuigbo said that the Nigerian youth is already championing a vote for climate change and the youth awareness is necessary to ensure that climate change remains on the agenda of the incoming administration.
The lawmaker, who was represented by Mr. Nnaemeka Oruh talked about the need to integrate climate change into the national education curriculum in schools.
He disclosed that he is looking forward to continuously interacting with students and to tell them more about the role legislation can play in tackling climate change.
Cash Prizes Given to Winners of National Essay Competition on Climate Change
Two suspected criminals arrested during patrol in Plateau
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of Sector 1 under Operation Enduring Peace have arrested two suspected criminals during a routine patrol in Jos East Local Government Area of Plateau.
Security sources disclosed that the suspects, identified as Azi Ezekiel, 21, and Ajiji Emmanuel, 19, were apprehended at about 10:30 a.m. on Saturday along the road leading to Forbur Village.
The sources said the suspects were intercepted by troops of Sector 1, Sub-Sector 12, while conducting a routine patrol in the area.
According to the sources, the two suspects have been handed over to the Keystone Police Station in Forbur for further investigation and possible prosecution.
The arrest forms part of ongoing security operations aimed at combating criminal activities and enhancing safety across Plateau State.
Two suspected criminals arrested during patrol in Plateau
Troops arrest suspected kidnapper in Plateau community
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of Sector 4 of Operation Enduring Peace have arrested a suspected kidnapper during a security operation in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau.
Security sources said the suspect, identified as Mohamdu Surajo, 29, was arrested at about 6:45 p.m. on Friday at Sabon Layi Village following sustained security operations in the area.
The sources disclosed that the suspect is currently in military custody and is undergoing preliminary interrogation to aid ongoing investigations.
They added that the arrest is part of continued efforts by security forces to dismantle criminal networks and enhance security across Plateau State.
Troops arrest suspected kidnapper in Plateau community
Venezuela Solidarity Group Urges U.S. to Lift Sanctions After Deadly Earthquakes
By: Michael Mike
The Venezuela Solidarity Campaign in Nigeria (VSCN) has called for the immediate and unconditional lifting of United States sanctions on Venezuela, arguing that the restrictions are hampering humanitarian relief and reconstruction efforts following devastating twin earthquakes that reportedly killed more than 2,000 people and displaced over 50,000 others.
In a statement issued on Sunday and signed by its coordinator, Comrade Dimeji Macaulay, the group expressed solidarity with the Venezuelan people and the Bolivarian Government, describing the earthquakes as a humanitarian tragedy that has left widespread destruction of homes, hospitals, schools, roads and other critical infrastructure.
The organisation extended condolences to families of the victims and praised what it described as the resilience of the Venezuelan people in confronting the disaster despite years of economic hardship.
According to the VSCN, the U.S. sanctions have weakened Venezuela’s capacity to respond effectively to the emergency by limiting access to financial resources and restricting the importation of medicines, equipment, technology and other essential materials.
The group maintained that maintaining the sanctions during a humanitarian crisis amounts to collective punishment against ordinary citizens and called for their permanent removal to facilitate relief operations and long-term reconstruction.
“There can be no moral or legal justification for maintaining an economic blockade against a country struggling to save lives and rebuild after a devastating natural disaster,” the statement said, adding that every day the sanctions remain in force prolongs the suffering of the Venezuelan people.
The campaign also urged the Federal Government of Nigeria to publicly support the removal of the sanctions, strengthen diplomatic relations with Venezuela and contribute to international humanitarian efforts for victims of the disaster.
It further appealed to the African Union to reject unilateral coercive measures, describing them as violations of international law, while calling on African countries to support Venezuela’s recovery.
The group equally called on the United Nations to intensify humanitarian assistance and ensure that sanctions do not obstruct emergency relief operations or reconstruction programmes.
Beyond governments and international organisations, the VSCN appealed to trade unions, youth organisations, civil society groups and progressive political movements across Africa and the wider international community to demonstrate solidarity with Venezuela by opposing what it described as economic warfare and supporting the country’s right to determine its future without external interference.
Reaffirming its commitment to the Venezuelan cause, the organisation said it would continue campaigning until the sanctions are lifted, insisting that Venezuela’s recovery should not be hindered by external political considerations
Venezuela Solidarity Group Urges U.S. to Lift Sanctions After Deadly Earthquakes
Troops Arrest Two Suspected Berom Militia Linked to NIPSS Attack as Security Sources Say Investigation Supports Earlier Leads
Two suspected criminals arrested during patrol in Plateau
Troops arrest suspected kidnapper in Plateau community
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