Nigeria: PAPPCC, SAVI Sensitize Media Practitioners On Climate Change Reporting

The participants made a field-trip to Bishop Kodji Community in Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area (LGA) of Lagos, Nigeria. The Island, which has about 25,000 – 30000 residents, can be accessed from CMS with the aid of a speedboat.

 

The Policy Advocacy Project Partnership on Climate Change (PAPPCC), a network of Civil Society Organisations and professionals concerned about the threat of Climate Change to Lagos recently organized a Sensitization workshop for Media Professionals.

The workshop, tagged “Strengthening Citizens Voice and Climate Change: The Role of the Media”, was held in partnership with DFID – State Accountability and Voice Initiative (SAVI). The goal was to build the capacity of Media Professionals to better address the prevailing issues on Climate Change in Lagos State.

During the two-day workshop, experts in the field of climate change advocacy and intervention provided trainings for the participants. The need for media practitioners to report human-interest stories and provide indepth coverage of how climate change affects the people was reiterated throughout the training.

The participants made a field-trip to Bishop Kodji Community in Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area (LGA) of Lagos, Nigeria. The Island, which has about 25,000 – 30000 residents, can be accessed from CMS with the aid of a speedboat. The journey is less than 30 minutes.

Bishop Kodji is made up of seven communities, including: Sabo Kodji, Gonure Kodji, Akopanawa, Iredu, Agala Ayedun. The major occupation of the residents on this Island is Fishing.

Other Communities under this LGA are Sagbo Kodji, Whlak Kodji, Akoponawa and Agbonjido Communities.

The aim of the field-trip was to identify some of the social issues facing the community.

According to the head of the host community, Chief Sewanu Felix, Bishop Kodji is presently faced with many challenges. The most pressing ones are: Educational Challenges, Electricity and Water.

It was also disclosed during a Press briefing with the Heads of Community that the only Government Nursery and Primary School in Bishop Kodji community, was in need of rehabilitation.

Bishop Kodji Primary School

Bishop Kodji Primary School

The classes have no doors, sufficient chairs and windows. Tutors complained about the lack of security in the school. Sometimes they find dead pigs in the classrooms, thus, time is wasted clearing the dead pigs before commencing classes with the students.

Highlighting the challenge of lack of water supply, Chief Sewanu noted that the people of the community do not have access to portable water. They sail outside the community to buy clean water.

borehole

Although the community’s power-supply is as erratic as the rest of the country, it was discovered that it has the ability to generate its own electricity through a state-sponsored solar project, which was installed many years ago. The solar project is also meant to power water pumps and fish driers in the tiny fishing and boat-carving community. However, the solar system is no longer functional and no attempt has been made to repair it.

Speaking on behalf of the community, the Deputy Baale, Chief Victor, implored government leaders to come to their aid and help improve the living condition in the community.

 

 

Adenike Ashogbon Fagbemi is passionate about development journalism. A graduate of Mass Communication from Lagos State Polytechnic, in Honours’ Role, Adenike has experience working with Civil Society Organisations as a content specialist. Her works have been published by different media outlets, including, The Nation, Guardian, NaijaNews, Development Diaries and Africa News Now. Adenike has received awards for reporting Humanitarian Stories in Nigeria. She is currently exploring using multimedia journalism as a tool to report development news. Follow her on Twitter: @Nikkyash
One Comment
  • The Business Of Fishing In Bishop Kodji Community
    20 July 2014 at 2:35 am -

    […] ★ Nigeria: PAPPCC, SAVI Sensitize Media Practitioners On Climate Change Reporting […]

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