A civil society organisation (CSO), the Green Alliance Nigeria (GAN), has lauded President Muhammadu Buhari for the pace of work on remediation of communities impacted by oil spill in Ogoniland.

GAN President, Mr Chima William, commended the progress of work at a meeting organised by the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Thursday, November 1, 2018.

He said the Federal Government ought to be commended for its action so far, saying that it would be better to experience delay while the proper things are being done.

“We have been interacting with the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) to know what they have been doing.

“Going by our assessment based on their presentation; we have seen that the agency is on ground and not just on papers.

“Our stand is that the agency should do it slowly, but they should at the same time ensure that the actual clean up is done properly,” he said.

William urged HYPREP to also update its records regularly for easy monitoring.

“It is important that the agency do some procedural phases to understudy what the situation is and to begin to tackle it.

“Thou, they are on the right track but the CSOs need to criticise them to keep them (HYPREP) on their toes,” he said.

Also, Mr Young Kigbara, Coordinator, Civil Society Coalition on the Implementation of the Cleanup of Ogoni and Niger Delta, called for patience from communities in Ogoniland.

According to him, the communities have reasons to expect so much, “But we believe that HYPREP is doing very well to breach the gap.

“We are in the communities talking to them to ensure the project succeeds. We believe that the agency should continue with the emergency measure side-by-side with the clean up.

“If HYPREP should wait to complete the emergency measure; the clean up may take many more years. We think the best time to start is now,” he said.

By Desmond Ejibas

A new United Nations-backed report has revealed that fungi can help wean the world off its plastic addiction by degrading polyurethane in just a matter of weeks.

According to the first-ever “State of the World’s Fungi” report, Scientists at London’s Kew Botanical Gardens reported that these organisms have the potential to break down waste plastic.

The report is an important advance in a world where momentum is building to reverse the toxic tide of plastic that is killing marine life and polluting the ocean.

According to the UN, at least eight million metric tonnes of plastic end up in the sea every year, sometimes decomposing into tiny micro-plastics that make their way into the food chain.

Senior Kew Gardens Scientist, Ilia Leitch, said that other fungi and microorganisms were also being explored for their potential to degenerate different types of plastic.

The report explained that, by understanding how the fungi break down these bonds and what the optimal conditions are, “you can then increase the speed at which they do it”.

Noting that there may be as many as 3.8 million fungal species, with only 144,000 named, the authors – a team of some 100 scientists from 18 countries – argue that further research into these organisms could provide answers to some of humanity’s greatest challenges.

The report spelt out that advances in their agricultural applications could translate into improved food security, environmental sustainability and increased production revenues.

In addition to recycling nutrients and helping crops to grow efficiently, fungi also provide compounds that produce antibiotics, immune-suppressants and statins that block cholesterol-producing liver enzyme action.

According to the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), there is mounting evidence that climate change is affecting the ranges of species and biodiversity in ways that are still not comprehensible.

Fungi themselves are also under threat, particularly in high latitude areas where average temperatures continue to rise, such as the Arctic, UNEP said.

The UN environment agency said these changes were already affecting fungi reproduction, geographic distributions and activity, with possible knock-on effects for ecosystems.

Niklas Hagelberg, a UNEP climate change and ecosystems expert, said: “Species react differently to climate change, which disrupts the delicate interaction between them.

“This further complicates conservation; we need to quickly add climate change to our ecosystem management effort.”

Meanwhile, the Kew Gardens report showcased the kind of pioneering thought that would be at the heart of the fourth UN Environment Assembly in March 2019, on “innovative solutions for environmental challenges and sustainable consumption and production”.

Ahead of the 2019 assembly, UNEP is urging people to “think beyond and live within,” a motto that is aimed at tackling environmental challenges and assuring a prosperous future – that may include a role for fungi, that was unthinkable just a few years ago.

By Prudence Arobani

The Federal Government on Wednesday, October 31, 2018 urged state governments to judiciously use ecological funds to complement its efforts in addressing the multifarious ecological challenges in various communities across the country.

The Permanent Secretary, Ecological Fund Office, Dr Habiba Lawal, gave the advice at the 2018 National Council on Environment (NCE) Meeting in Akure, Ondo state.

The theme of the meeting is “Environment and Security: Consolidating Nigeria’s Environmental Reforms towards Sustainable Development’’.

According to Lawal, the Federal Government will continue to promote and ensure successful partnership critical to the effective management of the environment.

“However, the state governments should also ensure that the shares of their Derivation and Ecological funds are judiciously expended.

“By so doing, the huge cost on intervention projects will be far reduced and the savings thereof will be harnessed to address other national developmental needs,’’ the permanent secretary said.

According to her, the sharing formula of the fund is as follows: Federal Government collects one per cent as its monthly share; state governments get 0.72 per cent while local governments have 0.60 per cent as their monthly share.

“The one per cent Federal Government’s share is domiciled in the Central Bank of Nigeria and managed by the Accountant General of the Federation.

“The National Emergency Management Agency benefits 20 per cent of the Federal Government’s share monthly.

“The state and local governments collect their shares monthly at the Federal Account Allocation Committee’s meeting,’’ she said.

The permanent secretary said that since the inception of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, 150 projects had been approved by the Federal Government.

She said that, out of the figure, 63 projects had been inaugurated and handed over to the affected communities while 16 were waiting to be inaugurated.

According to her, the remaining projects are ongoing and at various stages of completion.

“It has become glaring that the Federal Government cannot address these challenges alone.

“So, the state and local governments should intensify more efforts to ensure full participation to complement the Federal Government’s efforts,’’ Lawal said.

The Minister of State for Environment, Alhaji Ibrahim Jibril, urged the Ondo State Ministry of Environment to turn the ministry around, to ensure that relevant stakeholders paid attention to the issues of environment.

Jibril, who visited a coastal area “Aiyetoro’’, in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, expressed shock over sea incursion that displaced many houses in the community.

“What happens in Aiyetoro shows that climate change is real because it is high sea level that causes it and it is sad to see school children studying under such inconducive condition,’’ he said.

The minister called for synergy among the tiers of government and relevant stakeholders to address the problem.

Gov. Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, who called for the Federal Government’s intervention to address ecological problem in Aiyetoro community, commended the minister and other stakeholders for visiting the community.

Akeredolu, who was represented by his Deputy Governor, Mr Agboola Ajayi, said that the minister’s visit to Aiyetoro would assist in addressing sea incursion in the area.

By Deji Abdulwahab