Nigerian Youths Climate Group has expressed appreciation to President Muhammadu Buhari for not only giving the youths hope for a better future but working hard to resolve the climate change challenges facing the Sahel Africa.
At a meeting today, September 27 with the Nigerian leader after the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the youth group confessed that this was the first time a leader from Nigeria would give them a listening year.
One of the leaders of the group, Esther Agbarakwe, said: “ this is the first time we are seeing a President sit with us. It gives us hope. We young people understand the problems, and are in the vanguard of advocacy. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Climate Change Department works with us for solutions.”
She commended the support the group is receiving from the UN Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed and the Ministry of Environment, saying: “we are in it together.”
Also, Hamzat Lawal, another leader of the group, thanked President Buhari for signing the Not Too Young to Run Bill into law.
“We seek solutions to problems in the Sahel region. If we provide solutions to the Sahel, the world will be at peace. You have announced planting of 25 million tress and we youths plan to match it.”
this was even as President Buhari told the youth group that the Lake Chad is shrinking while population is exploding, which he said is a big challenge.
“With less land, less rainfall, these are very unique problems for the country.”
The President Buhari commended the youths for representing Nigeria at UNGA as Climate Change Champions, adding, “it is good you are participating so that you can appreciate the problems older people are having.”
