A Bauchi-based agronomist, Nuru Masa, has advised farmers to adhere to the forecasts and predictions by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) to guide their decisions on crop varieties.
Agriculture
He also advised them to adopt good agricultural practices to maximise yields and ensure food security.
Masa said this in an interview on Tuesday, December 31, 2024, in Bauchi, the Bauchi State capital.
According to him, climate unpredictability such as erratic rainfall pattern significantly impact farming, adding that farmers need to consider early, medium and late maturing crop varieties based on recommendations by the agency.
He underscored the importance of comprehensive planning and proper farm management, as farmers transited from wet to dry season activities, stressing that successful crop production involved critical steps, including site selection, land preparation, pest and disease management, irrigation and timely harvesting.
“For instance, the type of ridges during the dry season differ from those required for wet season farming.
“Providing the right conditions for seedlings such as adequate water, nutrients, pest and disease control are vital for crop establishment.
“Understanding crop maturity and harvesting at the appropriate time is essential in ensuring optimal quality and yields. Visual signs of maturity such as the greening of crops do not always indicate physiological readiness for the harvest,” he said.
The expert identified climate, soil fertility and moisture as critical determinants that influence crop production, and urged farmers to ensure soil suitability for the crops and fertilisers as well as adequate water supply and proper farm management practices.
While advising farmers to utilise extension services, Masa urged them to adopt preventive measures against pests and diseases, as well as improve their enterprising skills.
The National Association of Scrap and Waste Dealers of Nigeria (NASWDEN) has given unregistered dealers a two-week ultimatum to join the association or face legal consequences.
Scrap and waste dealers
Addressing newsmen on Tuesday, December 31, 2024, in Lagos, Alhaji Sarki Soja, Chairman, National Caretaker Committee of NASWDEN, said that full-scale enforcement would take effect at the expiration of the ultimatum.
According to him, the aim is to boost scrap business in Nigeria and improve the image of the association.
Soja said that the association planned to work with law enforcement agencies to crack down on unregistered dealers and those involved in illegal activities.
He said that membership of the association would offer benefits, including being part of the association’s database.
He said that the association had more than seven million members at the moment.
The chairman said that misconceptions about dealing on scrap and waste needed to be eliminated.
He said that it was high time every individual in the line of business came under the umbrella of NASWDEN.
Mr Lekan Adebakin, Secretary of the National Caretaker Committee of NASWDEN, said that governments should do more for the association, which he described as a major revenue earner.
He said that members of the association had continued to experience challenges such as extortion and multiple ticketing, urging that these should be addressed.
The Chairman of NASWDEN, Lagos State Chapter, Mr Adedotun Adewale, said that the association’s database would be automated.
He said that the members would receive identification cards and reflective jackets with codes to distinguish them as legitimate scrap dealers.
“We are taking steps to ensure that all criminals hiding under our business are brought to book.
“We are creating a strong data base to checkmate the excesses, we will ensure that we have easier identification of genuine scrap dealers.
“We need to upgrade ourselves, we constitute the cleaner Lagos initiative,’’ he said.
A Space Engineer, Brig. Gen. Michael Agu (Rtd), has underscored the need for the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) to build Nigeria’s space competence for global competitiveness.
National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA)
Agu, who was the pioneer National Chairman, Nigerian Institution of Space Engineers (NISEng), said this in an interview in Abuja on Tuesday, December 31, 2024.
According to him, part of the space competence facilities is establishing an Assembly, Integration and Testing Laboratory (AIT) for satellite designing, manufacturing and testing.
He said that the Nigerian space ecosystem and NASRDA had the requisite manpower to roll out space products and services.
“Looking at the entire space industry value chain, starting from launch services and operating a satellite, and the application, NASRDA is there already.
“Part of the challenge, however, is that they don’t have the AIT centre to package their design. This has been an issue for a while but there is the eagerness.
“The skilled workforce they have should be put into use. Space has different areas and the global space ecosystem is highly competitive.
“Besides operating a satellite, a space agency can be engaged in different things, like manned space flight, unmanned space flight and sending of space porks into space.
“It also includes operating a space station and NASRDA should be looking up to these.
“With the achievements and skills available to NASRDA and the Federal Government, we can dominate the world and our presence in space has made Nigeria a space competent state.
“It is, however, left for us to develop that competence to the level to go beyond operating a satellite,” he said.
Agu stated that all the building blocks for NASRDA to excel and compete globally were available, adding that the industry was a highly competitive industry that required lots of knowledge and power.
On the achievements of NASRDA, the former chairman said space had so many compartments, which included space products and services, space infrastructure, space economy and space workforce, among others.
Scoring NASRDA high in space infrastructure and space workforce, Agu stated that space product and services should be dependent on the support they got from government to roll out the necessary products.
He, however, said that the agency had the requisite manpower to roll out space products and services, including satellites.
“NASRDA has grown, it is well established, and they have all the necessary building blocks to take the space industry to the next level in Nigeria.
“I see Nigeria as one of the 15 topmost countries in the world in terms of space competitiveness, and that will depend on different factors and also a step-by-step approach.
“We will have to set objectives and work towards attaining the objectives now that we have both civil space and defence space.
“NASRDA should convert any weaknesses into strength and any threats to their progress into opportunities,” he said.
The Okomu Biodiversity Stakeholders Platform (OBSP) held its last meeting of the year on November 29, 2024, at the Okomu National Park, Edo State, Nigeria. The meeting marked the close-out of the BIOPAMA Action Component (AC) Medium Grant funded project titled “Enhancing the Management and Governance Effectiveness of Okomu National Park, Nigeria” implemented by the Society for Sustainability and Conservation Education for Rural Areas (SCERA).
Group picture of stakeholders at the Participatory Management Planning workshop
During the meeting, representatives from local communities commended the significant progress achieved in reducing illegal logging and enhancing peace around the park as a result of increased involvement of communities in the activities of the National Park. Assistant Conservator General (ACG) Cornelius Oladipo, who represented the Conservator General of the National Park Service (NPS), Dr. Ibrahim Musa Goni, commissioned a tree nursery and water borehole built by SCERA for Udo Community, one of the support zone communities of the Okomu National Park.
The ACG expressed his delight and satisfaction in witnessing the transformation of ideas to reality and the impactful results being achieved. In his remark, he lauded SCERA for her dedication, presence on the ground and successful implementation and completion of projects. He voiced his heartfelt gratitude on behalf of the NPS to BIOPAMA, who financially supported the initiatives. He further emphasised the importance of sustaining the momentum of the project and ensuring its continuity.
Beneficiaries of the agroforestry and nursery establishment management receiving their farm implements
More than 100 beneficiaries from 11 support zone communities of the Okomu National Park trained in sustainable forest management, specifically beekeeping, agroforestry, and nursery management were presented with beekeeping equipment, 4,000 seedlings, accompanied with agricultural implements.
Under the 21-month BIOPAMA project, SCERA educated communities around the Okomu National Park about the importance of the forest and the need to practice forest-friendly livelihood activities that will reduce pressure on forest resources and strengthen protection of the Okomu National Park.
A cross section of OBSP meeting participants
With financial support from the BIOPAMA AC Medium Grant and the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), SCERA has supported the conservation efforts of Okomu National Park for almost two years. In January 2024, SCERA commenced activities during the first OBSP meeting in 2024 to support the Okomu National Park in the development of a participatory management plan. Subsequently, a workshop brought together local stakeholders to provide their inputs and agree on a roadmap for the development of the management plan.
As part of strengthening park management capacity, SCERA also provided equipment and materials including field gear (jungle boots, life jackets, raincoats, torch lights and water bottles), fuel and food rations to support forest patrols in 2024. The Conservator of Parks, Okomu National Park, Lawrence Osaze, expressed deep appreciation for SCERA’s support, noting that the equipment would significantly enhance their capacity to manage the park effectively.
Field gear for rangers, presented to CP, ONP Lawrence Osaze
Under this project, SCERA trained over 30 rangers in the use of technology (SMART and Global Forest Watch) in law enforcement patrols. More than 100 community people were also trained in beekeeping value chain (including carpenters, welders and bee farmers), agroforestry and nursery establishment/management. Beneficiaries trained in beekeeping were empowered with beehives produced by trained carpenters, bee suits, beehive tools, honey press and honey filters, while those trained in agroforestry and nursery establishment/management, mostly farmers, received tree seedlings and farm implements so that they can begin to put to practice what they have learnt during the trainings.
SCERA intends to continue to train community members in forest-friendly practices in subsequent projects to foster sustainable practices that align with the goals of conservation. These activities offer economic opportunities while reducing dependence on activities that degrade the environment. One of the trained beneficiaries, Chief Yabike French of Okomu Community, highlighted alternative livelihoods such as beekeeping and plant propagation as effective strategies to reduce pressure on park resources and thanked SCERA for coming up with these initiatives.
Udo community water borehole (above) and tree nursery
Under this project, SCERA also established a Tree Nursery, with a water borehole to supply water to the nursery. This borehole also brings relief to the people of Udo Community, who expressed the need for a borehole to provide easy access to clean drinking water.
SCERA promotes a community-based approach to biodiversity conservation and established the Okomu Biodiversity Stakeholders’ Platform in 2021, to foster a collaborative approach to the conservation and protection of the Okomu National Park. A Grievance Redress Committee has been established, and park rangers have been trained in human rights and social safeguards, fostering respect for human rights and increased community involvement in the protection of the park.
Project sponsors and collaborators
The project is a collaboration involving Sustainability and Conservation Education for Rural Areas, BIOPAMA AC Medium Grant and the Nigerian Conservation Foundation.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) says it has revived the Warri Refinery with the re-streaming of the plant’s Crude Distillation Unit (CDU).
Warri Refinery
The NNPC Ltd. said the restreaming of the CDU on Monday, December 30, 2024, marked the beginning of the gradual start-up of the refinery following its successful rehabilitation.
The NNPC Ltd. in a statement by its Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye, said it had delivered on its promise to revive the Warri Refinery by the end of 2024.
Speaking at a tour of the Warri Refinery Complex in Ekpan, Delta State, the Managing Director of the Warri Refining and Petrochemicals Company (WRPC), Mr Chu Efifia, explained that the CDU was successfully re-streamed.
Effia said the plant had commenced the production of petroleum products such as Automotive Gas Oil (Diesel), Household Kerosene (HHK), Naphtha, and Low Pour Fuel Oil (LPFO).
Giving further details about the production status of the refinery, the Managing Director said the plant was currently processing 75,000 barrels per day (bpd) which translated to 60 per cent of installed capacity.
He said that the plant was currently producing 2.9 million litres of diesel, 1.9 million litres of kerosene and 4.9 million litres of fuel oil.
He added that the production of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), known as petrol, will follow in the days ahead as other units of the refinery come on stream.
Highlighting its significance, Mr Mele Kyari, Group Chief Executive Officer, NNPC Ltd., said it was the beginning of Nigeria’s journey to becoming a net producer and exporter of refined petroleum products.
The Chairman of the Board of Directors, NNPC Ltd., Chief Pius Akinyelure, also expressed satisfaction with the development, adding that soon Nigeria would exit petroleum products importation and become a net exporter.
Mr Farouk Ahmed, Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), congratulated NNPC Ltd. on the feat.
Ahmed said that, with the coming on stream of more refineries, there would be more competition in the market.
He said that this would in turn force down the pump price of petroleum products to the benefit of Nigerians.
The 125,000-bpd capacity Warri Refinery was commissioned in 1978.
It was shut down for rehabilitation in 2021 with Daewoo Engineering as the EPC contractor.
Before now, Christmas for Mr. Sanmi Olatunde, a staffer of an Ibadan-based private organisation, used to be a funfair with lots of sharing and caring for family members, friends, and relatives.
Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Wale Edun
However, the 2024 Christmas was quietly celebrated due to Olatunde’s low economic purchasing power.
He reminisced what used to be, noting that the economy was challenging but for God’s grace.
Aside from the effects of global economic hardship, the nation’s economy also experienced some critical challenges in 2024.
Such challenges include high inflation rates, fiscal deficit, exchange rate depreciation, and high interest rates.
Others are the rising cost of food, the cost of operations and the challenging business environment.
Like many other Nigerians, Olatunde prayed and hoped the nation’s economy would be better in 2025 than the year under review.
“You know how high the prices of things are. I can remember this time last year. I know what I did for people, but in 2024, it is just God’s grace.
“There are so many things we can’t even get up to, but we are just trying to do our best. I don’t pray to experience anything like 2024 again,” he said.
However, he sounded optimistic as petrol prices per litre have started declining, hoping it would continue to have ripple effects on other goods and services.
“Yes, in fact, this December, I can see that prices of some items are coming down, but we hope that 2025 will be a year of better things.
“This is because I believe the moment fuel prices come down, other things will, definitely, come down.
“So, we are hoping that 2025 will be a better year than 2024,” Olatunde said.
Another respondent, a civil servant, Mr Olugbenga Adeyemi, said things were a little bit difficult and stressful in his family in 2024.
According to him, the family employed different coping techniques to adjust to the situation.
“We have adjusted to going out without a car.
“We now realise that it is not every time we need to go out with the car because of fuel,” Adeyemi said.
He, however, hoped the relief brought by the recent decline in petrol prices would not be short-lived.
According to him, the rate at which the price was increased cannot be the same rate at which it will be reduced.
Another respondent, Mrs Olajumoke Ogunmuyiwa, blessed God for making things easy for her despite the economic hardship.
“It is a delight to see petrol prices crashing, and I hope it will further reduce in the coming year for things to be better than 2024,” she said.
A financial consultant, Mr Adetunji Adepeju, said living costs in 2024, in terms of food prices, accommodation, housing and transportation, were outrageous.
“I will say this is caused by the fluctuating and increasing exchange rates, which has serious effects on oil prices, until recently when petrol prices started to come down.
“It’s good to buy petrol for N950 to N990 per litre compared to the earlier months.
“Unfortunately, the price of food has not come down.
“For those fond of eating rice, a 50 kg bag of rice, which should be sold for N50,000 is now sold at N105,000.
“But, again, for the common people like me, I will say, at least, the cost of garri and other few items came down between November and December,” Adepeju said.
The consultant noted things were generally tough in 2024, but with government policies, as captured in the budget, 2025 looked bright.
“The security situation is improving; some farmers are back to their farms, now having some crops available.
“By the middle or by the first quarter of 2025, some of the crops should have been harvested, thus food prices will come down.
“This is provided the traders and middlemen do not still go ahead with the way of just making things tough for people,” Adepeju said.
He said he was optimistic that petrol prices would still go down, reducing the cost of transportation and subsequently, food prices and other things.
The financial expert said things would improve if Nigerians were prudent and learnt to manage their finances.
Adepeju called for more transparency from state and local governments.
“For me, with the exchange rate projection of N1,500 to a dollar, and with an increase in the oil production to about 3.06 million barrels per day, we should fetch money into the federal accounts.
“If we have less corruption, or people are made to account for whatever comes to them, especially the state and local governments, many things should change positively.
“I appeal to the state and local governments to, please, do the needful, because the federal government, for one indication, has been trying to support the subnationals,” he said.
Adepeju, referring to the Borne State governor for acknowledging whatever came from the federal government, said South-West governors should do the same.
Another financial expert, Mr. Sola Famakinwa, observed that the economy had improved from its downward spiral early in the year.
He says some government policies and reforms from mid-2024 are game changers.
According to him, while the nation’s inflation rate has decreased in recent months, it’s still high.
“Its effect is not yet fully felt by most Nigerians as it has adversely affected every sector of the economy.
“With the low purchasing power, I will say that people are adjusting to the reality of the economy because of the kind of life many Nigerians live – we are adjusting ourselves,” Famakinwa said.
The expert observed the economy had now turned in the right direction, especially with the policies implemented in the last quarter of 2024.
“This will surely set a good tone for the first quarter of next year.
“If you look at the budget proposal that was presented; infrastructure and education were the priority of the federal government, which is at the bedrock of any economy that can bring progress to us as a nation.
“If the tax reform that the federal government has also put in place flies by the grace of God next year, most of the businesses will bounce back,” Famakinwa said.
An Economic Expert, Dr Chijioke Ekechukwu, says the coming on stream of more refineries in the country is expected to crash the prices of petroleum products.
Dangote Refinery
Ekechukwu, the Chief Executive Officer, Dignity Finance and Investment Ltd. said this on Tuesday, December 31, 2024, in an interview in Abuja.
According to him, this is in view of the re-streaming of the Warri Refinery.
Ekechukwu, who was sceptical on speaking about the functionality of the Warri Refinery due to recent controversy and criticism surrounding the workability of the Port Harcourt Refinery, however, observed that there would be free market economy.
The Warri Refining and Petrochemicals Company (WRPC) in Warri, Delta State, managed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.), commenced operations on Monday, after years of being moribund.
The 125,000 barrels per day (bpd) Warri Refinery, which was currently operating at 60 per cent of installed capacity, resumed operations after the NNPC Ltd. restarted the 60,000-bpd old Port Harcourt Refinery in November.
Though the prices of petroleum products had been staggering, but recently, Dangote Refinery reduced the ex-depot price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) from N970 to N899.50 at its loading gantry, to sell at N935 per litre at retail outlets nationwide.
The NNPC Ltd. had also announced a reduction in the ex-depot price of PMS from N1,020 to N899 per litre, which is expected to trigger price war among marketers.
The expert, while reacting to the awaited industry competition and economic potency of the coming on stream of Warri, Port Harcourt and Dangote refineries in the country, foresaw more innovations.
“Free market economy means that there should be free entry and free exit. It also brings competition and prices of goods and services lower.
“That is what competition does. In fact, more refineries should come on board, and that will force the prices lower in the long run.
“It leads to more innovations, better quality and standards.
“That is what the existence of the refineries will bring on the table of downstream oil marketing in Nigeria.
“With the Dangote Refinery, Port Harcourt, Warri refineries and other modular refineries coming on stream, we are better for it as a country and as an economy,” he said.
He however said that the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) would also be enhanced while more employments would be created.
The Warri plant will focus on producing and storing critical products such as Automotive Gas Oil (Diesel), Household Kerosene (HHK), Naphtha, and Low Pour Fuel Oil (LPFO).
The plant, which is currently processing 75,000 barrels bpd which translates to 60 per cent of installed capacity, produces 2.9 million litres of diesel, 1.9 million litres of kerosene and 4.9 million litres of fuel oil.
The production of PMS, known as fuel, will follow in the days ahead as other units of the refinery come on stream.
The 125,000-bpd capacity Warri Refinery was commissioned in 1978.
It was shut down for rehabilitation in 2021 with Daewoo Engineering as the EPC contractor.
Some stakeholders in the mining sector have commended the Federal Government for reversing the five-year ban on mineral exploration activities in Zamfara State.
The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake
The stakeholders made the commendation in separate interviews on Tuesday, December 31, 2024, in Abuja.
The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, recently announced the reversal of the ban on mining exploration in Zamfara, citing significant improvement of security situation in the state
The Federal Government banned all forms of mining exploration activities in Zamfara in 2019, following alarming reports of banditry and its link to illegal mining.
Mr. Dele Ayankele, the National President, Miners Association of Nigeria (MAN), thanked the minister for the move, explaining that the ban deprived government of accruable revenues.
Ayankele stated that insecurity and banditry, which led to the ban, had also resulted in unnecessary budgetary allocations being wasted to maintain peace in the area.
“This is not to talk of unquantifiable losses to the mining lease holders in Zamfara, who might have lost their titles due to non-remittances of appropriate fees and levies as at when due.
“Also, holders may have experienced the inability to service loans and its attendant piling debts, rotten equipment, loss of manpower and social embarrassments due to inability to service family livelihoods,” he said.
He commended the minster of solid minerals on efforts leading to the ban reversal.
According to him, the effectiveness of the move will be determined by the measures put in place to sustain the security recorded in the state.
He acknowledged the determination of the minister to secure mining sites across the country, particularly through inter-ministerial collaborations.
“All these will be unveiled early in the coming year, as lease holders attempt to resume mining operations,“ he said.
Similarly, Patrick Odiegwu, the Secretary of the Association of Miners and Processors of Barite (AMABOP), described the reversal as a step in the right direction and a welcome development.
He stated that continous suspension of economic activities could lead to more insecurity, as the residents in the affected areas might become idle and resort to unlawful means to sustain themselves.
According to Odiegwu, government should consolidate on the reversal by leveraging advance technology to secure mining areas and beyond.
He explained that analog security measures may not be effective in addressing insecurity compared to a modern monitoring system that incorporates artificial intelligence.
“If we want to apply guns towards securing our environment, we will continue to have insecurity. If we apply technology, huge artificial intelligence, robotics, you don’t even need to loss one soldier.
“Government has the capacity to monitor everybody in Nigeria, individually, if such system is available,” he said.
He emphasised that proactive measures were necessary to keep bandits on the run and maintain the peace that had been established.
The 10 most financially costly climate disasters of 2024 all had an impact of more than $4 billion (€3.8 billion), according to a new report.
A hurricane slams into West Coast of Florida. Photo credit: Joe Raedle/Getty Images
The research by the charity Christian Aid found that Europe accounted for three of the top ten costliest disasters, with Storm Boris in central Europe and floods in Spain and Germany.
Most of the estimates are based only on insured losses, meaning the true financial costs are likely to be even higher, while the human costs are often uncounted, the organisation says.
The report also highlights 10 extreme weather events that didn’t rack up big enough insured losses to make the top 10 but were just as devastating and often affected millions of people.
These included several events in poorer countries where many people don’t have insurance and where data is less readily available.
“This report is a sobering reminder that climate change cannot be ignored and in fact will get much worse until we do something to stop it,” says Joanna Haigh, Emeritus Professor of Atmospheric Physics at Imperial College London.
“Politicians who downplay the urgency of the climate crisis only serve to harm their own people and cause untold suffering around the world.”
World’s costliest climate disaster occurred in the US
The report found that the US bore the brunt of the costliest climate disasters in 2024, with October’s Hurricane Milton topping the list as the single biggest one-off event at $60 billion (€57.5 billion) in damage and 25 deaths.
Hurricane Helene, which struck the US, Cuba and Mexico in September, was next at $55 billion (€53 billion) and 232 deaths.
In fact, the US was hit by so many costly storms throughout the year that even when hurricanes were removed, the other convective storms cost more than $60 billion (€57.5 billion) in damages and killed 88 people.
No part of the world was spared from crippling climate disasters in 2024. Floods in China cost $15.6 billion (€15 billion) and killed 315 people.
Typhoon Yagi battered southwest Asia, killing more than 800 people. Yagi made landfall on September 2 in the Philippines before moving on to Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam and Thailand, where it triggered landslides and flash flooding and damaged hundreds of thousands of homes and agricultural land.
Europe suffered three of the world’s 10 costliest climate disasters
Europe accounted for three of the top ten costliest disasters, with Storm Boris in central Europe and floods in Spain and Germany costing a combined $13.87 billion (€13.5 billion). These events killed 258 people – 226 of which were in Valencia’s floods in October.
The UK didn’t make the list this year, but in December, the Environment Agency warned that a quarter of properties in England (some eight million) could be at risk of flooding by 2050 due to climate change.
Climate disasters cost poorer nations less but were just as devastating
While the top 10 focuses on financial costs – which are usually higher in richer countries because they have higher property values and can afford insurance – some of the most devastating extreme weather events in 2024 hit poorer nations.
Many of these are also countries which have contributed little to causing the climate crisis and have the least resources to respond.
These included Cyclone Chido, which devastated the islands of Mayotte in December and may have killed more than a thousand people.
A severe drought in Colombia saw parts of the Amazon River drop by 90 per cent, threatening the livelihoods of Indigenous peoples who rely on it for food and transport.
Heatwaves affected 33 million people in Bangladesh while also worsening the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
West Africa was hit with terrible floods that affected more than 6.6 million people in Nigeria, Chad and Niger. In southern Africa, the worst drought in living memory affected more than 14 million people in Zambia, Malawi, Namibia, and Zimbabwe.
Christian Aid says these extreme events highlight the need for more urgent action to reduce carbon emissions and accelerate the transition to renewable energy. It also underlines the importance of providing funding for vulnerable people.
“The human suffering caused by the climate crisis reflects political choices,” says Christian Aid CEO, Patrick Watt.
“Disasters are being supercharged by decisions to keep burning fossil fuels and to allow emissions to rise. In 2025, we need to see governments leading and taking action to accelerate the green transition, reduce emissions, and fund their promises.”
He adds that while the transition to a global economy powered by renewables is “inevitable”, the question is whether it will move fast enough to protect the poorest people.
“These terrible climate disasters are a warning sign of what is to come if we do not accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels,” he says.
“They also show the urgent need for adaptation measures, especially in the global South, where resources are especially stretched, and people are most vulnerable to extreme weather events.”
Gov. Ahmed Ododo of Kogi State on Monday, December 30, 2024, presented cheques worth N3 billion to 2,381 direct beneficiaries of Community Revolving Fund of the Agro-climate Resilience in Semi-arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) Project in the state.
The distribution of the ACReSAL community revolving funds is the second phase, with the first phase carried out in June, in partnership with the World Bank Group.
Gov. Usman Ododo of Kogi State
The beneficiaries from 80 communities of the 21 Local Government Areas of the state were classified in over 170 groups.
Presenting the cheques to the various groups at the Lugard House, Lokoja, Ododo said the community revolving fund was in line with his administration’s commitment to ensuring food security and sustainable agricultural practices.
Ododo assured that his administration would continue to provide the enabling environment for the success and sustenance of the ACReSAL project in the state.
“This gesture is in furtherance of the development agenda of this administration to increase the adoption of sustainable landscape management.
“It’s also to strengthen the long-term framework for integrated climate resilience landscape management and effective agricultural practices across communities in our councils.”
He urged the benefiting groups and communities to utilise the funds with diligence and to demonstrate ability to ensure that other members of the community continued to benefit from the project.
The governor, however, commended President Bola Tinubu for prioritising sustainable agriculture practice and for his unwavering commitment to enhancing welfare of families in all parts of Nigeria.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Environment and Ecological Management, Mr Joseph Oluwasegun, said the community revolving fund sought to place Kogi on the map of states where food security and sufficiency are guaranteed in Nigeria.
Earlier in her address, the State Coordinator of AcreSal, Mrs Ladi Ahmed-Jatto, said the community revolving fund is an interest-free investment fund which began in June, with over 2,381 direct beneficiaries.
Ahmed-Jatto explained that the second phase of the disbursement is a justification of the effective utilisation of the first phase and the overall performance of the state government as adjudged by the World Bank Task Team.
She stated that the fund remained a loan from the World Bank under guaranteed repayment by the state government.
She urged the beneficiaries to make best use of the funds for the growth and development of the state.
