WARRI – By Okiemute Okpomor
Nigerians in general and the civil society groups in particular have
been called upon to help carry out more advocacy on the devastating
effects of global climate change.
This call was made by Prof. Lai Oso, National President, Association
of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria (ACSPN) at a workshop, “World Climate Stimulation and C-Road Training for Media practitioners and Environmental Journalists” in Warri organised by the South South chapter of the body.
While noting that environmental issues were under reported in the
country media practitioners, Prof. Oso tasked journalists to
familiarise themselves with the rudiments of interpretative
journalism.
According to Prof. Oso,”the media has a major role to play in the
reportage of environment issues including climate change. Although the
fact that the environment or climate change has not received
substantial and consistent media coverage may not be the fault of the
media and journalists alone. Sources particularly those with lot of
social, cultural and economic capitals do substantially influence not
just the definition of social problems but their coverage.”
Prof. Oso added, “interpretative journalism demands of the journalist
a deep understanding and knowledge of the issues being reported, it
requires deeper treatment beyond just a few paragraphs on a news page,
it requires featured articles. For instance, if flood occurs, we must
not just report it as a single event but as an outcome based on
certain causes like corruption, poor policy implementation and poor
participation.”
In his presentation, Dr. Vincent Ojeh, Lecturer, Department of
Geography, Taraba State University, resource person disclosed that by
2020, yield from rain-fed agriculture could reduced by 50 per cent.
Dr. Ojeh noted that it had been projected that access to water may be
the single biggest cause of conflict and war in some Africa countries
in the next 25 years.
While admonishing people and government to take the issues of
environment seriously, the resource person further disclosed that
between 75 and 250 million Africans were projected to be exposed to
increased water stress due to climate change by 2020.
According to Dr. Ojeh, “the media cannot report what they do not know,
so there is need to equip them with the necessary requirement to
enable them report environmental issues adequately. They have a major
role to play in advocacy, educating and sensitising the public on the
dangers of deforestation, flood, building on water channels, effect of
greenhouses gas emission among others.”
The program was convened by Dr Majority Orji, Vice Chairman, ACSPN,
South South ànd lecturer at the Delta University, Abraka.
