The Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) has maintained that the Bill for an Act for the Establishment of the Non-Governmental Organisations Regulatory Commission, proposed by the House of Representatives, to regulate non-governmental organisations (NGOs), is apparently orchestrated to repress the voice of the people and subjugate civil society groups in Nigeria.
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara
According to the CDHR, the bill is unnecessary, serves no public interest and so must not be passed. The organisation adds that the right of Nigerians to a democratic society with fundamental freedoms remains inalienable, and that any attempt to subjugate that right must be resisted.
“CDHR rejects the bill,” the body declared, adding: “Contributions by civil society organisations (CSOs) have always positively impacted on our democracy and development for several decades; CSOs have remained the beacon of peace, development, security, humanitarian services and Human Rights assessment in Nigeria; NGOs/CSOs form a critical platform that guarantees freedom, equality and Rights of all persons. Unnecessary Government interference is utterly inconceivable.”
In a statement issued on Wednesday, December 13, 2017 and endorsed by its National Publicity Secretary, Henry Peter Ekine, and made available to the media, CDHR warned that the said bill, if allowed to become law, has the potential to threaten democratic ideals. Ekine emphasised that democracy succeeds on the principles of fundamental freedoms and citizens’ participation, adding that there are already sufficient provisions and legal frameworks in the nation’s body of laws that regulate the formation, registration, operations and finances of NGOs/CSOs.
CDHR charged Nigerians to compel the National Assembly to rather focus on making laws that will improve the welfare of citizens as ultimate priority; promote good-governance, eradicate all forms of servitude, stop the violation of the constitutional rights of citizens, especially economic and social rights, not undermining civil, political, as well as cultural rights.
“The National Assembly must make laws that demonstrate real commitment, concern and value for the lives of Nigerians anywhere and at all times, failure of which the collective capacity of citizens to enforce their inalienable rights will be activated.”
According to the CDHR, the civil and political rights of citizens (the first generation rights) as well as the social, economic and cultural rights (the second generation rights) must be seen to be protected. It noted that the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended, provides for the civil and political rights under Chapter IV as the Fundamental Human Rights.
“These rights are connected to the social, economic and cultural rights provided in the Constitution under Chapter II as the Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy. The National Assembly must make only laws that improve security, safety and welfare as well as protect the rights of citizens.”
The human rights group, under the leadership of its President, Malachy Ugwummadu, therefore called on the National Assembly to immediately heed the views of Nigerians as represented at the public hearing on the bill. In line with the theme for the International Human Rights Day, 2017, CDHR also enjoined Nigerians and all persons of conscience to #StandUp4HumanRights and speak out in condemnation of the bill; remain firm and demand an immediate end to this Bill; and ensure that it is never passed to law.
The National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) has warned retail stores across the country which are importing or trading in products that contain genetically modified organisms (GMOs) to urgently formalise such dealings with it.
A retail store
Earlier in the year, NBMA directed all stores to declare all GM products in their stores, as part of an ongoing survey to document all imported GM foods/products across the country with a view to confirming their safe status and compliance with the NBMA Act.
Director General/CEO of the Agency, Dr. Rufus Ebegba, in what appears to be a renewed warning, urged all retail stores to comply with the NBMA Act 2015 to avoid disruption of their businesses.
The NBMA Act Part VII (22) directs that “no person, institution or body shall import, export, transit or commercialize any genetically modified organism or a product intended for direct use as food or feed, or for processing without the approval or permit of the Agency”.
The DG said that the agency was not interested in disrupting the business of the trading points stores but to ensure that they comply with the NBMA Act 2015 and ensure the safety of the health of Nigerians.
“The agency is prepared to work with super stores to formalise their GM products across the country in order to analyse and ascertain the genes of insert, and their safety to human health,” was quoted in a statement made available to EnviroNews on Wednesday, December 13, 2017.
He reiterated the agency’s commitment to ensuring proper regulation of modern biotechnology and its products, adding that the NBMA, as an unbiased umpire, would not compromise the health and safety of Nigerians.
Members of Olorunda community in Oyo State have expressed their displeasure over an apparent neglect by governments at the local, state and federal levels.
During a mini-town hall with the people of Olorunda, community leaders and representatives bare their minds on issues affecting their welfare. Photo credit: AMPLIFY/Awede Taiwo
Residents expressed this concern during a community outreach and needs assessment conducted by Amplify, a civic organisation advocating for development in rural and underserved communities. The outreach to Olorunda community revealed it lacked power supply, poor road network and potable water, among others.
“The government has forgotten about us,” a community elder, Salisu Raimi, remarked.
The presence of concrete electric poles, cables and even a transformer might suggest the community has access to power supply. But a closer observation revealed the transformers are weak and rusty while some of the electric poles lie on the floor broken. The community is said to have been off the grid for about 40 years since the installation of a transformer.
The power transformer has been in the community for about 40 years. Overgrown with weeds and rotting away it has not generated power for Olorunda community. Photo credit: AMPLIFY/Awede Taiwo
“It’s been about 40 years that transformer and electric poles were brought to the community. Since then, we have not had light,” says the community head.
“While there are many things that we need, power-supply is primary to us. It is the most important to us,” Raimi laments.
“We also want to use refrigerators and drink cold water,” Muideen Tijani, another community member expressed, his dissatisfaction.
Built in 1987 under a project funded by UNICEF and Federal Ministry of Health, this borehole is one of the three non-functional water sources in Olorunda community. Photo credit: AMPLIFY/Awede Taiwo
Olorunda community has a vast expanse of arable lands used for cassava cultivation which provides raw materials for garri production. Daily, hundreds of trucks convey agricultural produce to the main town. But these trips to and from the community are fraught with challenges as the roads are in a poor and deplorable shape.
Residents of Olorunda and other neighbouring communities have repeatedly contributed to keeping the road motorable.
“We constructed the road that led to this place,” says Yekini Raji. “We were given graders, but we were responsible for the fuelling. We also catered to the welfare of the drivers, which costs N50,000 daily and we were there for three days.”
Access to potable water is a significant challenge to residents of Olorunda community. Though there are four solar-powered water points and boreholes in Olorunda, only one of them supplies water for over 500 residents in the area.
Amplify team also visited the primary health centre in Olorunda and observed it is poorly equipped and lacked medical officials. According to some of the residents, there is only one healthcare officer in charge, and he does not reside in the community.
“If someone needs to be treated and the health officer is not on duty, we will call him on phone to come from Oyo town and attend to the patient.” With this kind of arrangement, someone in an emergency situation has limited chances of survival as the nearest health facility to the community is about one hour away.
As the community continues to grapple with the problems of lack of access to electricity, water, bad roads and a dysfunctional health care, it is important to point out that Olorunda has no public primary or secondary school; the modern garri processing factory has been abandoned as a result of poor maintenance.
These challenges might linger as long as the government is far away from the people. It begs the question, who will rescue the forgotten ones?
The Minster of Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources in Gambia, Lamin B. Dibba, has reiterated government`s unsolved commitment to sound environmental management, including the aged long fight against bushfires, tree felling and charcoal burning.
Minster of Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources in Gambia, Lamin B. Dibba
“It is important to note that 85% our population depend to a great extent on the forest and its rich resources in term of energy, food, medicine, income and employment. As a result, it is our collective responsibilities to conserve, protect and rationally utilise this precious and priceless heritage against the menace of fire.”
Dibba make these statements when addressing the nation on the eve of the national Anti-Bushfire Day 2017 celebration, observed annually on December 10, which is earmarked by government as a day to provide opportunities for reflection on the causes and impacts of bushfires on the nation’s natural resources base and the resultant impact on our socio-economic development. It also creates awareness as well as advocates for the active participation of communities in the prevention and management of bushfires, he observed.
The theme of this year’s commemoration is: “Prevention, A National Response”.
The Minister said the Government of The Gambia attaches great importance to the prevention and sustainable utilisation of forest resources, adding that environmental threats like bushfires are among the most serious drivers of forest degradation.
The negative impacts of forest fires are evidently seen not only on the forest cover and its ecosystem, but on the environment in general and the livelihood of the rural population, he pointed out, quoting from the highlight in the National Forest Assessment (NFA) 2010 Report that over 50% of the country forest cover is burned annually and the impact of these fires is unfortunately not limited to the destruction of the vegetation cover but habitats of wildlife species and other agricultural produce also perish.
Essentially, he said, forest fires change the forest structure leading to more open woodland which becomes prone to erosion and reduction in soil fertility, and the frequency and intensity could be reduced by including fire management in broader landscape management strategies and through more integrated approaches which include not only fire suppression but also fire prevention, early warning and preparedness.
“The Department of Forestry has put in place policies and strategies for better control and management of bushfires. These policies and strategies include improving dialogue and communication with the general public to sensitise them on the need for community participation in the effective management of forest resources of the country. The Gambia Forest Communication Concept has been designed along these lines to bring forestry services closer to the people through the sharing of relevant and timely information,” Dibba preached.
Adding on, the Environment Minister said the commemoration of the day helps raise the level of awareness of communities on the dangers of forest fires particularly at this prime time of the beginning of the dry season as the Department of Forestry is undertaking efforts to improve communication with the communities especially those close to the forest.
This year’s commemoration will be observed in the five administrative Regions in close collaboration with the office of the Regional Governors and District Chiefs.
Calling on Gambians and those alike residing in the country to change their attitude towards the environment, Minister Dibba implored every Gambian and resident to reflect on the loss being incurred as a nation due to bushfires. “The environmental degradation, loss of biodiversity and livelihood resulting from annual bushfires is indeed worrying, while an incalculable volume of timber, firewood as well as non-timber forest products perish due to annual bush fires, creating further difficulties in efforts to meet national requirements for domestic energy and construction materials.”
Galvanising support for environmental protection, conservation and preservation, Dibba revealed that soil degradation assumes serious proportion in many parts of the country, resulting in significant reduction on farm productivity, thus the fauna is also seriously affected by large-scale forest fires which destroy their habitats and distribution. Consequently, he noted that the nation’s biodiversity continues to decline, steadily creating negative impacts on the promotion of tourism products and its potentials for diversification.
He challenged the general public to join efforts in preventing the occurrence of bushfires and participate fully in the control exercise whenever and wherever they occur.
In conclusion, he warned that the Government of the Gambia through the Department of Forestry would apply the full force of the law against anyone found guilty of illegally setting a forest on fire, and equally urged all Local Authorities to take responsibility of preventing bushfires in their area of jurisdiction, as a national and individual response.
The FADAMA III Second Additional Financing (AFII) programme, a World Bank intervention project, has been receiving widespread commendations for its efforts to boost food security and restore the livelihoods of people in the North East.
Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh
The beneficiary states of the $50 million project are Borno, Adamawa, Yobe, Taraba, Bauchi and Gombe.
The Internal Mission Team of the FADAMA III (AFII) project, also known as the North East Food Security and Livelihood Emergency Support Project, recently visited the region to ascertain the progress of project implementation in last one year and restructure certain areas of the venture.
The main objectives of the exercise were to assess the level of implementation of the FADAMA III (AFII) project in the states, undertake field visits to verify the execution of approved Community Action Plans (CAPs) and provide technical guidance where necessary.
In Adamawa State, one of benefitting states, the beneficiaries lauded the FADAMA III (AFII) programme for promoting the state’s development and urged it to initiate more intervention projects across the state.
Mrs Felicia Nzomisaki, Permanent Secretary in the state Ministry of Agriculture, said that the FADAMA project had recorded laudable achievements in Adamawa, particularly because of its impact across all the local government areas of the state.
“FADAMA activities have really helped us. For instance, whenever non-governmental organisations (NGOs) come here and discover what FADAMA is doing here, they always want to align with us because of FADAMA,’’ she said.
Nzomisaki said that the recognition of the valuable input of the FADAMA programme to the state’s development had encouraged the government to approve the release of N20 million counterpart funds for the project.
Mr Hammaji Umar, the spokesman for the beneficiaries in the livestock sub-sector, said that Girei Local Government Area (LGA) of Adamawa State had four host communities with 160 beneficiary households.
He noted that 40 beneficiary households in each community were identified with the help of the community leader.
“FADAMA provides food items for us to eat before going to farm; we are now in the livelihood phase of the project, which involves the provision of livestock and inputs,’’ he added.
Mr Usman Abubakar, the Public Relations Officer of Girei Local Government Council, said that the FADAMA III (AFII) programme had appreciably improved the living standards of beneficiary households in the communities.
He solicited the sustainability of the project to enable it to record more achievements in the neighbourhood.
In the meantime, the Yola South LGA has provided land for the FADAMA III (AFII) programme to build a livelihood restoration centre.
Mr Dahiru Hammanyaji, the Training and Technical Assistance Officer of the FADAMA programme, made this known during the inspection visit of FADAMA Internal Mission Team to the site in Chakantare.
He said that the centre was established to boost livestock production via improved marketing operations, while enhancing the quality of local livestock breeds through the adoption of modern crossbreeding techniques.
“The crossbreeding technology, which FADAMA provided, is expected to trickle down to the people; this will soon have a visible impact on our livestock breeds and milk production.
“We don’t want to go into agriculture that will consume space with no or insignificant output,’’ he added.
Mr Ahmad Suleiman, the councillor representing Mbamoi ward in Yola South LGA, said that the residents of the area would benefit a lot from the livelihood restoration centre.
His words: “Our people have suffered a lot; they have been hosting the Internal Displaced Persons (IDPs) and assisting them since they came to our local government area.
“Our council really appreciates the efforts of the FADAMA programme; it has provided the land for the construction of the livelihood restoration centre, as it will enable our people to benefit more from the project,’’ he said.
The Taraba Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr David Ishaya, who was represented by the FADAMA State Project Coordinator, Mrs Regina Festus, said that the FADAMA III (AF) project made tremendous impact on the lives of the people of the state.
“Sixty-seven communities with 2,680 households have access to food assistance and agricultural livelihood support in the areas of crops, livestock and fishery.
“The beneficiaries were given advisory services and capacity building training in sustainable development, while tangible efforts were made to restore agricultural production in the state,’’ he said.
Ishaya said that with the aid of FADAMA III (AFII) programme, the IDPs, who were mainly from Borno, Adamawa, Yobe, Gombe, Benue and Nassarawa states, now felt at home in our state.
He, however, appealed to the World Bank and the Federal Government to initiate more people-oriented programmes for the residents.
The District Head of Maihula, Malam Sulaiman Mohammed, said that the FADAMA III (AFII) project had really changed the lives of the beneficiaries, while reducing the suffering of the residents of the community in general.
“We have more than 3,500 IDPs who encountered problems and relocated from their communities; they have now come back to their homes and most of them are farmers but they are financially handicapped.
“The FADAMA programme has done a lot to restore their livelihoods,’’ Mohammed added.
Mr Umar Jibrin, a leader of the beneficiaries in Maihula, said: “Our people really benefited from the project; four households have received agricultural inputs to start farming and 36 households have engaged in livestock farming. The scheme has really tackled many economic problems in our community.
“We are still looking up to the World Bank, the Federal Government and the Taraba State Government to assist more IDPs because we want them to also enjoy what we have benefited from the project,’’ he said.
Mr Bem Nachigh, the spokesman for the beneficiaries in Bali community, said that the FADAMA project had made a lasting impact on the lives of the beneficiaries.
“Our joy has been restored after our harrowing experience during the Boko Haram crisis. We were once hopeless, not knowing where to start from, but with the advent of the FADAMA project, we are now having renewed hope,’’ he said.
The District Head of Bali, Inuwa Gidado-Misa, said that the community started benefiting from the World Bank’s programme since the launch of FADAMA I, II and III programmes, which were all aimed at facilitating agricultural, commercial and infrastructural development of the neighbourhood.
“I pray that this programme continues, while all its promises for Taraba and our local government area are fully fulfilled,’’ he said.
Mr Samson Augustine, a leader of the beneficiaries in Sabon Dale community, said that the FADAMA III (AFII) programme had done a lot to restore the livelihoods of ex-IDPs.
He said that the residents of Sabon Dale, who relocated to the community from IDPs camps in July after three consecutive attacks by Boko Haram insurgents, were happy and excited by the FADAMA intervention.
“Our people were overwhelmed with joy by the abundant supply of food items, livestock and agricultural inputs by FADAMA, which also provided us with advisory services to enable us to do the right thing,’’ he said.
Mr Michael Tobee, the traditional ruler of Sabon Dale, also commended the FADAMA III (AFII) programme for the improvement it brought to the people’s lives.
“When we came newly and saw how my people were suffering, I stopped wearing my beads because I could not stand seeing my people in that precarious situation and be happy as a leader.
“Nowadays, I have started wearing my beads and performing my duties as the chief since the FADAMA intervention has made my people happy again,’’ he added.
Tobbe, however, solicited the expansion of the FADAMA project to cover others members of the community, insisting that the beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries of the project alike suffered a lot due to the insurgency.
“Whenever I look at my people who are not benefitting from the project, my joy becomes abridged because all of us went through the same calamities,’’ he said.
Sharing similar sentiments, several people, who are not benefitting from the project in different communities, urged the FADAMA programme to incorporate them in the project.
Some of the non-beneficiaries in Bali LGA called for the extension of the project to cover those who had yet to benefit from it.
One of them, Mr Kajiva Joseph, said: “We suffered together during the crisis but now, they are enjoying alone. We also want to benefit from the FADAMA project; we want to be happy like them.
All the same, Dr Ben Herbert, Leader of Internal Mission Team of FADAMA III (AFII) project, commended the project implementation processes in all the areas the team visited.
He thanked the traditional rulers, the beneficiaries and the state governments for their contributions toward the success of the project.
“The project is part of the efforts of the Federal Government to support those who were affected by the Boko Haram insurgency,’’ he said.
Herbert urged the beneficiaries to use all the resources that were given to them judiciously.
“We are executing the intervention with the funds given to us by the World Bank and I want to encourage you to use whatever you have been given very well.
“I am assuring you that FADAMA is just laying the foundation, compared to what is coming thereafter,’’ he said.
The team leader said that the Federal Government had already initiated a bill on the creation of the North East Development Commission, which would take care of all the areas in the North East that were affected by the insurgency.
“FADAMA has done very well with its food assistance, cash-for-work, infrastructure and livelihood support schemes and its impact would be reinforced by the implementation of other projects,’’ Herbert added.
The state controlled Herald Newspaper reported on Wednesday, December 13, 2017 that the ivory was intercepted at Robert Gabriel International Airport on Monday following a joint operation by wildlife officials and security agencies.
However, the owners were still not known and investigations to identify them were on-going.
Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority spokesperson, Tinashe Farawo, confirmed the interception and said the case had since been reported to the police.
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has pledged $300 million (about N108 billion) in grants to support agricultural research which would help poor farmers to adapt to the consequences of climate change.
Bill Gates, co-chair of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
The foundation announced the commitment, which will run between 2018 and 2020, at the One Planet Summit in Paris on Monday, December 11, 2017.
The announcement is contained in a statement which was e-mailed to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lagos.
The foundation said that the grants would assist farmers to address challenges of rising temperatures, extreme weather patterns (droughts and floods), diseases, poor soil fertility and attacks from crop pests.
Farmers in Africa and Asia are targeted to benefit from the grants.
“Two-thirds of the world’s poorest people live in Africa and Asia, and roughly 800 million of them rely on agriculture for their livelihoods.
“These smallholder farmers play a negligible role in generating carbon emissions but they suffer some of the harshest effects of climate change.
“As the climate changes, farmers’ ability to produce crops to feed their families or earn an income will be increasingly threatened.
“Livelihoods will be destroyed and climate-related pressures could force people to abandon their homes and communities, in search of better conditions.
“Poor farmers in developing countries will need the most innovative tools and technologies to adapt to the effects of climate change,’’ the foundation said.
It stressed that there was an urgent need to equip the farmers with tools which could make their crop production more productive, sustainable and resilient in the face of a rapidly changing environment.
The announcement of the Gates Foundation is somewhat a direct response to the needs articulated by developing countries in their adaptation plans in crop improvement, protection and management.
“The Gates Foundation’s commitment comes in addition to a $318 million commitment from the European Commission (EC), also announced on Monday, with additional commitments from the member states still to be finalised.
“Taken together, the funding from the EC and the Gates Foundation to help farmers increase crop yields, respond to environmental threats and adapt their farming methods to climate change will amount to over $600 million (about N216 billion) over the next three years.’’
Besides, the Gates Foundation and the BNP Paribas Foundation, in partnership with the Agropolis Foundation, launched the One Planet Fellowship at the Paris summit.
The fellowship consist of a €15 million (about N6.3 billion) five-year programme to support 600 young African and European researchers, who are working to help African farmers adapt to climate change.
Speaking at the summit, Bill Gates, co-chair of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, said that agriculture was the most promising path out of poverty for individuals and countries.
“The disproportionate impact of climate change on the world’s poorest people means that there is urgent need to help the poorest farmers improve their productivity in the difficult conditions that they continue to face.
“We are excited to join forces with the EC to drive forward research and innovation that will help farmers improve their crop yields, respond to climate pressures and have access to the latest developments in farming practices.
“Together, we can help smallholder farmers improve their livelihoods, lift more families out of poverty and contribute to a sustainable global food system,’’ Gates said.
NAN reports that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is involved in projects that are aimed at helping people to lead healthy and productive lives.
In developing countries, the foundation particularly focuses on improving people’s health and facilitating their efforts to overcome hunger and extreme poverty.
Thousands of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Mauritius will benefit from a $100 million loan to the country from the African Development Bank (AfDB).
President of Mauritius, Ammenah Gurib Fakim
The Bank approved the loan through its public sector window to MauBank Holdings Ltd. in Mauritius to expand its SME business across sectors and foster private sector investments in a wide range of sectors, such as manufacturing, trade, agriculture, aquaculture, ICT and transport. The facility will promote inclusive growth in the country.
Through the support, MauBank projects an increase in its SME clients from 4,400 to 6,000, including 1,500 women and 300 youth enterprises by 2027. This will in turn allow these enterprises to expand their productive capacity, generate additional sales and ultimately grow their business operations as well as employment, including for women and youth.
MauBank Holdings Ltd. is wholly owned by the Government of Mauritius, which clearly commits to support MauBank to deliver its 10-Year SME Master Plan launched in 2017. The Master Plan is aligned with the African Development Bank’s High 5s agenda, particularly “Industrialise Africa”.
The Master Plan of the Government of Mauritius aims to raise SMEs’ contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from 40 to 52% by 2026, while increasing SMEs’ share of national employment from 55 to 64%.
There are over 100,000 registered SMEs in Mauritius, contributing approximately 40% of GDP and employing over 280,000 people. These firms operate across a wide range of sectors, including food and beverages, textiles, furniture, paper products, chemicals, rubber and plastic, handicrafts, pottery, jewelry, trade and commerce.
The AfDB loan will contribute to gender equity and social inclusion. Female workers (30% of Mauritius’ workforce) and entrepreneurs (16% of firms with female shareholders) will benefit from the Bank’s loan. Some priority sectors of MauBank, such as agriculture, food processing, textile, handcraft and service sectors, have high potential for female employment.
The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and Future Earth on Tuesday, December 12, 2017 agreed to strengthen their collaboration around a number of key areas.
Montreal, Canada is hosting the 21st meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice
The memorandum of understanding (MoU), signed at at the 21st meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice, being held from December 11 to 14 in Montreal, Canada, is geared towards facilitating collaboration between CBD Parties to achieve shared goals and objectives on the conservation, protection, enhancement and support of nature and natural resources, and to mainstream biodiversity into different sectors.
The agreement marks an important commitment by both organisations to jointly strive to achieve the Aichi Biodiversity Targets and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
“As the world takes the steps to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity and build a sustainable future, the Convention on Biological Diversity relies on partners like Future Earth for the evidence-base for policy decisions and action,” said Dr. Cristiana Paşca Palmer, CBD Executive Secretary.
“The discussions of the post-2020 period will be about transitions of socio-ecological systems and will require that we all harness the opportunities provided by disruption. Our work with Future Earth will ensure that as we move forward towards the 2050 vision of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity, we are guided by the best available science from around the world.”
Based on the agreement, the CBD Secretariat and Future Earth agreed to strengthen their collaboration to:
Support the development of plausible pathways towards the 2050 Vision of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 by mobilising scientific communities and providing scientific knowledge
Align relevant research priorities in Future Earth with policy needs identified in the context of the CBD such as in support of the Convention’s work on biodiversity and health
Support the mainstreaming of biodiversity as an important consideration in other sectors of society.
“We know that biodiversity underpins all aspects of sustainability – from clean air and drinking water to the wellbeing of people living in cities and rural areas alike. Future Earth is excited to work with CBD to help bring a consideration of biodiversity into the mainstream, ensuring that it is embedded into critical international sustainability efforts,” said Amy Luers, Executive Director of Future Earth.
Future Earth and the CBD recently worked together to launch a project called Natural Systems and Sustainable Cities, which builds on the successful Cities Biodiversity Outlook undertaken by the CBD and its partners. This project aims at assessing areas where urban growth is likely to have the greatest impact on biodiversity and ecosystems. Future Earth and the CBD will also collaborate with governments at various levels to develop tools and best practices to support efforts to to foster biodiversity through urban design, planning, development and management.
“This partnership is very important to Future Earth. It will enable us to provide the evidence-based knowledge the world needs to make the transformational changes that are at the heart of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, the 2050 Vision and the Sustainable Development Goals,” said Anne-Helene Prieur-Richard, Director of the Future Earth Global Hub in Montreal, Canada.
“Nature-based solutions, building on biodiversity, are an example of these transformational changes, which are already arising around the globe. A science-based assessment of opportunities, constraints and impacts for these solutions will be key for efficient and long-term policy-decision and the maintenance of biodiversity and critical ecosystem services.”
The yuletide season has always been exploited by manufacturers of consumer goods to unveil new products to whet the appetite of an insatiable public. In this season people eat more, drink more, party more and are tempted to even embark on some excesses, no thanks to the appeal created by manufacturers and marketing agencies. Just like it is for adults, so also it is for the adventurous under-aged who will always try new things.
According to scientists, tobacco smoking is dangerous to health
Among the horde of businesses jostling for a bounty as the Christmas and New Year celebrations near are tobacco merchants who, without fail, refine their marketing strategies yearly to grab new lungs while strengthening their stranglehold on existing smokers. Apart from the regular cigarettes, other tobacco products – including pipes, smokeless tobacco, and sisha – are now gaining acceptance among Nigerian youths.
It is not out of place to posit that the tobacco industry’s campaign to replace a dying generation of aged smokers, like previous years, will gravitate towards parties and other fun activities where it will be easy to entice kids to smoking.
Market leader in Nigeria, British America Tobacco Nigeria (BATN), a few years ago tested this strategy when it kick-started a controversial Secret Smoking Party through which school-age pupils were inducted into smoking. Activists at the time discovered that the company invited the unsuspecting youngsters from a host of schools to the parties which held across several states in Nigeria. At the parties they were encouraged to light up for the first time in their lives.
When the news got to the media, BATN denied it targeted the under-aged but could not provide convincing argument on the logic behind inviting school kids to parties that held from dusk to dawn under an environment dominated by heavy music and plumes of its lethal products. While it is believed that the parties are still being held more clandestinely, the company has also been explored newer strategies of maintaining its hold on kids.
A recent report by the Environmental Rights Action and the Nigeria Tobacco Control Research Group titled “Big Tobacco, Tiny Targets Nigeria Report” details a far more insidious approach to getting kids addicted to smoking.
The report, conducted in five states – Enugu, Kaduna, Lagos, Oyo and Nassarawa – showed how BATN and other tobacco multinationals deliberately situated kiosks and placed adverts near schools, and open places that children frequent to buy sweets and candies. The aim is to expose the kids to enticing and flavoured packs of cigarettes, thereby indirectly tempting them to buy and try them. That decision to try the products might be all it takes to hook them to cigarettes for life.
The task of ensuring these dangers are nipped in the bud rests with all of us, starting with the Federal Ministry of Health which must demonstrate seriousness in implementing the National Tobacco Control (NTC) Act by the kick-start of enforcement of nine of its provisions that do not require any form of regulations. Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, announced the provisions on May 31, 2017 as a gift to Nigerians on the occasion of the World No Tobacco Day.
Some of the provisions are:
Prohibition of sale of tobacco products to and by anyone below 18;
Ban on sale of cigarettes in single sticks;
Ban on sale or offer for sale or distribution of tobacco or tobacco products through mail, internet or other online devices; and
Prohibition of interference of tobacco industry in public health and related issues.
Others are: Prohibition of smoking in anywhere on the premises of a child care facility; educational facility; and health care facility, among others, prosecution of owner or manager of any of the places who permits, encourages or fails to stop smoking in the identified places; Prohibition of tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship of any kind, among others.
The nation’s lawmakers also owe Nigerians and particularly the youths the duty of giving their nod to guidelines for implementing other provisions of the NTC Act as fashioned by the Federal Ministry of Health.
Most important, however, is that, at the home front, parents have the pivotal role of stopping their wards from drifting the way of the smoke. Acting as role models is very important, but it takes much more than acting to prevent kids from taking to the stick. Parents must also work against negative influences outside that threaten their kids.
The consequences of doing otherwise, is best imagined than experienced. We do not deserve adolescents whose lung functions decline during late adolescence, or those that suffer impaired lung growth, or chronic coughing, among others. We deserve better and only a tobacco-free climate will guarantee this.
Merry Christmas and a smoke-free New Year to Nigerians!
By Michael Okpara (Public affairs analyst based in Asaba, Delta State)
