Abdulafatai Abdulsalami
An undergraduate of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto has introduced a catch-them-young approach to climate change campaign.
Aisha Abubakar, has commenced taking the campaign to primary schools in Sokoto metropolis, beginning with Federal Government College Staff School, where she obtained her primary education, and Magajin Rafin Primary School.
Aisha, a student of Geology, who underwent a six weeks training on the effects of climate change in the USA recently, said she decided to share the knowledge she acquired with primary school pupils to educate them on climate change.
She said her belief in the younger generation’s potential to effect the required change informed her decision to take the campaign to the primary schools to enable the pupils key into the campaign.
“We adults are already used to some of the factors of the climate change,” Aisha said, adding, “So we need to let the children know exactly what are the contributory factors to the climate change and how it can be tackled.”
She appealed to the Sokoto State government to key into this issue of climate change and make use of the available opportunities it presents .
“We should invest more on solar energy as well gas cooker, and we should also invest more on public transportation which will reduce vehicles on the road, thereby reducing the carbon emissions in the town,” Aisha said.
Also speaking, a lecturer at the Geology department, UDUS, Habibu Adamu, praised Aisha for the novel initiative.
Adamu however drew the attention of government and residents of the state the raging climate change, asserting, “We cannot just wave it aside as changing of weather; we have to make use of the opportunity the change offers; we cannot continue with our usual attitude to the climate.”
He called for the reduction of the number cars burning fossil fuel on our streets.
“Sokoto State is blessed with a lot of solar radiation that government can tap into and make use of in the benefits of all residents,” Adamu suggested.
The Headmistress of Federal Government College Staff School, Katherine Basset, commended Aisha for choosing her alma mata as one of the schools to benefit from her campaign.
Highlights of the campaign included the plantation of trees in both Federal Government College Staff Primary School and Magajin Rafin primary school, Sokoto.
