… gets praises for appointing physically challenged as SA
Chairman, Etsako East Local Government Area, Hon. (Princess) Benedicta Attoh, has said despite effort made by government at various levels to mitigate the effect of climate change, the unspoken truth about global warming is that developing nations like Nigeria and other African nations are not responsible for the major cause of climate change, but the unsustainable consumption patterns of the rich industrialized nations are responsible.
She described sustainable development as making the best use of our environmental resources today without endangering future generations through harmful human practices.
“Human beings as caretakers of the earth need to protect the environment by taking responsible actions today. The collective unconscious action of individuals is responsible for the majority of the environmental challenges we are experiencing in our world today,” she said, according to a statement by Benjamin Atu, Chief Press Secretary to the Chairman Etsako East.
Hon. Attoh maintained, “Even though this disaster is not caused by us, our collective environment is vulnerable to its consequences. If we are to conduct a preliminary analysis today you will observe that the total emission of carbon generated in Nigeria is not up to the required global average. So activities here are indeed not responsible for global warming. but because we are at the receiving end of the global crisis there is the need for an approach to mitigate the threat of climate change in our local environment for sustainability.”
The Etsako East LG chairman, who was among the discussants on climate change at the occasion of her investiture as a Fellow and SDGS Champion by the Federal University of Petroleum Resources Effurun, further described climate change as a hostile environmental phenomenon that has resulted in resource scarcity leading to local conflict, migration, and displacement of people.
She took time to narrate her experience as a member of the flood committee that was set up by the Edo State government, saying Governor Godwin Obaseki has left no one in doubt about his capacity in making adequate preparation ahead of the unexpected furry that nature vent on a yearly basis, washing away farm lands, schools and houses.
In her thank you remark shortly after her conferment as Fellow of the Federal University of Petroleum Resources Effurun, she dedicated it to God Almighty her creator and Governor Godwin Obaseki for giving her the opportunity to serve, and thanked the entire people of Etsako East for their acceptability of her stewardship so far. She assured the people of Etsako East that her administration will make an unforgettable impact in the area of internal transportation, human capital development as well as robust economic activities.
High point of the award ceremony was the planting of climate change trees by the Chairman Etsako East LG at the premises of the Federal University of Petroleum Resources Effurun. The Vice Chancellor of the University, management staff as well as several other Awardees, were present as the occasion.
Meanwhile, the ancient city of Okpella was thrown into an unending jubilation as market women, artisans, Okada riders and others expressed joy as the Hon. Attoh appoints a physically challenged, Andrew Sylvester, from Ward 8 in Okpella, as Special Assistant on Physically Challenged Persons.
“The Chairman has constantly proved to be a worthy mother by her actions and conduct in providing support for the needy, poor, vulnerable and those that are most-at-risk who would ordinarily not have access to opportunities. These are the people she always and graciously puts smiles on their faces,” according to a market woman.
“We are fostering the development of all useful hidden talents, abilities and creative powers among physically challenged people of all kinds in Etsako East. We shall have a special section for physically challenged persons in the skill acquisition centre that will be open to more people next week following the successful agreement waiting to be signed off between the Council and Usagbe Club.
“There is no disability in disability, rather there is ability in disability,” she said.
While thanking the Chairman who she described as a passionate mother, the Councillor representing Ward 8 in Okpella, Hon. Aminat Onomile Abdullahi, said the appointment of Andrew Sylvester has given the public a resounding reason to have faith in government. “She has demonstrated that the helpless can be helped and nobody can be made somebody without anybody’s influence. The people of Okpella are grateful for coming down to lift the downtrodden up. It is an unusual act like never seen before,” she said.
