Climate change: 180m Africans homeless, says Fodeke

By Liade Akinboade

ABUJA — Nigeria is to demand compensation for the effect of climate change on its people at the forthcoming Copenhagen conference on climate change, the Minister of Environment, Mr. John Odey disclosed yesterday.

Mr. Odey’s declaration came with the revelation that 180 million Africans will be rendered homeless by climatic changes in ten years time. The Head, Special Climate Change Unit, Dr. Victor Fodeke revealed the impact on the African population at an inter-ministerial committee meeting on climate change in Abuja.

Disclosing the country’s objectives at the Copenhagen summit, Mr. Odey said: “Nigeria  should seize the opportunity of the Copenhagen Conference to urgently exert its political muscle in and out of the continent to insist not only that Africa  must be compensated for the impacts of climate change and opportunity lost, but also that the
compensatory funds be channeled as a matter of emergency, directly to Africa through the African Development Bank.”

“For us in Nigeria, the up coming Conference in December is very crucial to our Development agenda and our national vision. The  climate change scenarios for Nigeria indicate that the climatic variability currently being experienced is likely  to increase and intensify.

Drought, floods and storms are likely to increase in both frequency and intensity. Changes in perspiration levels and patterns are also likely to occur thus having an impact on agriculture and food production.