Actionaid, in collaboration with South Saharan Social Development Organization (SSDO), have sensitised youths on Enugu State Climate Change policies and other burning issues affecting the environment in different communities.

Participants at the one-day workshop, which took place in Enugu, were drawn from six local government areas in Enugu State.

Among issues discussed at the workshop were legal and illegal mining, deforestation, and other activities that affect the environment.

Speaking at the event with the theme “Youth Dialogue on Enugu Climate Policy,” the Head of Programs, SSDO, Udochukwu Egwim, explained that the event was packaged to commemorate the World Environment Day 2025.

He stated that they wanted to know the level of engagement of the youths in the Enugu Climate Change policy, which was launched recently in the state.

Egwim added that they decided to engage the youths on the content and context of the policy and on how they can advocate on issues affecting their communities using digital media.

He further disclosed that the workshop was meant to find out how the youths fit into the policy and to sensitise them on how they could hold the government accountable on issues around the policy.

He advised the youths to report to them issues that may attract threat to them during advocacy, adding that it was their intention to harmonise information.

Egwim, however, expressed dismay that they did not get enough response on burning issues affecting the communities, noting that massive sharing of information helps to sustain campaigns.

He described deforestation as a big issue in the Southeast and South South regions and pointed out that the issue was more pronounced in some states outside the region.