Dr Ibrahim Choji, the Chairman, Board of Trustees, CSDevNet, said this in a statement in Abuja on Friday.
Choji said the first set of hand washing facilities were donated in Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi state.
“In collaboration with WelfareAid Initiatives, Nigerian Civil Society Framework for Paris Agreement and SDGS (NCSFPAS) and the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance, CSDevNet is currently providing solutions and leading the way by creating awareness on the COVID-19.
“We are also donating some hand washing facilities across Nigeria.
“This is in line with our commitment to unifying and coordinating isolated civil society efforts on sustainable development in Nigeria in order to ensure people-centred response mechanisms are accorded desirable attention and relevance.
“As climate resilience is increasingly mainstreamed into national poverty reduction and sustainable development strategies and actions.”
Choji said that the non-state actors were deeply saddened by the impacts of the COVID -19 pandemic and were sympathising with all those who were suffering as a result of the pandemic.
He said the network was also heartened by the many acts of kindness that had spanned communities nationally and regionally in response to the pandemic.
Choji said “particularly, we acknowledge the sacrifices made by healthcare workers and others, ensuring other critical services remained available throughout the crisis.”
He said the current situation strengthened their belief in the importance of health infrastructure and climate resilience to safeguard human wellbeing as well as the environment and economy upon which citizens depended.
“The crisis also demonstrates our ability as Nigerians to respond rapidly to imminent dangers, as we must also do to combat other unprecedented threats to our country, such as climate change, accelerating biodiversity loss and growing national inequalities.
‘Together, we can still change the course of this pandemic even if that means addressing fear and inaction.
“As we mourn all those who have lost their lives and the many families who are suffering, we must show solidarity with the most vulnerable- the elderly, the sick, those without reliable healthcare, and those on the edge of poverty.
“Let’s overcome this common threat – because together we can.”
Choji said CSDevNet was committed to continue to work closely with governments, private sector and other non-state actors.
”This is to further strengthen national and regional frameworks for sustainable and resilient health infrastructure and to scale up the implementation of Nature-Based Solutions,” he said.
The paramount ruler of Anyigba, Dekina LGA of Kogi state, Alhaji Shaibu Okolo, the Ogohi-Onu Anyigba received the first set of items on behalf of the people.
Okolo called on the government and private organisations as well as individuals to partner with CSDevNet in order to make more of these facilities available to the public.
Other beneficiaries include the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) at the expansive Anyigba motor park in Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State.
CSDevNet is a coalition of CSOs cutting across the six geo- political zones in Nigeria.
CSDevNet aspires to unify and coordinate isolated civil society efforts on climate change advocacy in Nigeria to ensure that people-centred response mechanisms are accorded desirable attention and relevance.