The maiden edition of the Ewah Eleri Climate Change Fellowship has selected three journalists and two human right and environmental activists to represent Nigeria at the forthcoming United Nations (UN) Conference of the Parties (COP) on climate Change.
The Ewah Eleri Climate Justice Fellowship is sponsored by the Connected Development (CODE) and the winners would spend two weeks in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, to build relationship and other avenues to the advantage and interest of Nigeria.
On his part, a human right and environmental activist, Ewah Eleri, who was honoured with bearing the fellowship name, listed the winners that would be in Egypt for the conference as Etta Michael Bisong, Abuja bureau chief EnviroNews, Nigeria and bio-diversity advocate; and Gift Olivia Samuel, a seasoned Journalist of The SightNews.
Others are Mrs. Samuel-Nwokike, a graduate of mass Communication from the University of Nigeria Nsukka; Mr. Gregory Odogwu, an Environmental Columnist at Punch Newspaper; Idowu Esuku, aka Climate Man, a climate change musician and activist and Hyeladzira James Mshelia, a Climate Change Activist and Programs associate at CODE.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Executive Director, CODE, Mallam Hamzat Lawal, noted that the COP, which stands as the supreme decision-making forum of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
“This fellowship brings together signatory governments to thoroughly discuss and agree on how to jointly address climate change and its impacts. This year, the UN Climate Negotiations (COP27) will be held in the city of Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt from 7-18 November 2022.
“This conference could be a chance to turn the Glasgow outcome into action, through implementing climate change adaptation, mitigation, and financial strategies,” Lawal said.
According to him, CODE’s climate change and advocacy level, has been since 2014 when Eni reported 820 spills in the Niger Delta, with 26,286 barrels or 4.1m liters lost.
He said, “Since 2011, Shell has reported 1,010 spills, with 110,535 barrels or 17.5 million liters lost. That’s about seven Olympic swimming pools. These are huge numbers, but the reality may be even worse.
“Due to the injustice in the oil-producing areas of Nigeria, mainly from an environmental and economic perspective, Connected Development (CODE) in partnership with Oxfam implemented a campaign in the Niger-Delta region of Nigeria (Akwa Ibom, Delta and Rivers State) that sought to raise awareness on improving accountability and transparency in the dealings between host communities, oil and gas companies.”
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