A’Ibom speaker urges journalists on report to reduce climate disasters

Akpan Umoh, Uyo

The Speaker Akwa Ibom House of Assembly, Mr Udeme Otong, has urged Journalists in the state and country to be more involved in reportage that aimed at reducing climate change disasters in our environment.

Otong said this in his remarks during the 2023 Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Akwa Ibom State Council Press Week with the theme; “Development Journalism: Setting the Agenda on Climate Change.” 

The speaker, who was represented by the Chairman House Committee on Information, Mr Jerry Otu, said that the House of Assembly on its part would enact bills and motions in that direction also.

He charged the media to write to create awareness of the climate change agenda in communities to minimise climate change disasters.

He said the media have the responsibility to reduce climate change by reporting it as they reported about COVID-19 and the Ebola pandemic to reduce damage to the environment.

“As members of the Fourth Estate of the Realm, let us also, through useful reports, editorials and commentaries, assist the government in the task of re-examining some fundamentally new and more efficient approaches to disaster management. 

“This to me, is the main thrust of development journalism and indeed, the whole essence of journalism.

“On our part as the Legislature, we are committed to bringing up quality bills, motions and matters of urgent public importance that will help minimise climate change disasters.

“In the 8th Assembly, we have received lots of flood-related matters and we do not at any point, treat those issues with levity,” Otong said.

Otong described the theme of the press week as apt as it is very crucial to us in Akwa Ibom State, especially, in the face of obvious climate change and its implications.

The speaker said Akwa Ibom being a coastal state, has a wide range of livelihoods that has been threatened by the effect of climate change.

He said that the amount of rainfall as well as rising temperature all have impacts on agricultural production and fishing and by extension, food security, health and nutrition needs of our people.

Earlier in his remarks, the Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists Akwa Ibom Council, Comrade Amos Etuk, said that the theme was to provoke the media to set the agenda on ways of tackling climate change disasters.

Etuk said that the press week was an avenue to gather stakeholders to deliberate on measures to achieve collective goals of mitigating climate change disasters. 

He said, “Climate change is a long-term responsibility, and an agenda perspective will attract media attention, which will also influence public opinion.

“As such, the media must organise information that will help develop policies.”