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FAO wants inclusion of food, nutrition security analysis in university’s higher degree curriculum

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FAO wants inclusion of food, nutrition security analysis in university’s higher degree curriculum

The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has called for partnership with the Federal Government and some universities on the inclusion of food and nutrition security analysis in master’s degree curriculum.

Suffyan Koroma
Suffyan Koroma, FAO Representative in Nigeria

The Country Representative of FAO, Mr Suffyan Koroma, made the call in Abuja on Friday, November 2, 2018 at the presentation of October 2018 Cadre Harmonise (CH) Analysis Outcome for 16 states and FCT.

Koroma, who was represented by Mr Patrick David, the FAO’s Programme and Liaison Officer, said that inclusion of the analysis in the higher degree curriculum would facilitate the training of experts in food and nutrition analysis.

He said that the training of experts would also ensure the sustainability of the Cadre Harmonise analysis and boost the gathering of data on food and nutrition in the country.

“FAO wishes to partner with the government of Nigeria and some Nigerian universities to initiate a curriculum at the Master’s degree level for the training of experts in food and nutrition security analysis.

“FAO Nigeria will continue to provide the needed technical support for the regular conduct of the Cadre Harmonise analysis as well as the expansion of the process to the remaining states.

“We believe that there is also a need to increase the commitment of the states and Federal Government to financially support data collection,’’ he said.

Koroma pledged that the organisation would continue to support the government by providing emergency and resilient livelihood assistance, including nutritious food crops, cash crops and livestock support.

Cadre Harmonise is an early warning and food insecurity nutrition analysis tool to serve Food Crisis Prevention and Management Framework, which considers various food security and nutrition outcomes in 16 states.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Cadre Harmonise analysis started in Nigeria in 2015 to support and reinforce government interventions in food and nutrition security.

The Cadre Harmonise analysis is facilitated by FAO, the World Food Programme (WFP) and Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS), among others.

By Ginika Okoye

Earth tremor hits Abuja again, NEMA, geological agency confirm incident

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Earth tremor hits Abuja again, NEMA, geological agency confirm incident

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Nigeria Geological Survey Agency (NGSA) have confirmed an incident of earth tremor at the Maitama District of Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, on Thursday, November 1, 2018.

Abuja
The Abuja city gate

Both agencies confirmed this in a joint statement signed by Mr Vincent Owan, Director, Planning, Research and Forecasting NEMA, and Mr Abdulrazak Garba of the NGSA, and made available to newsmen in Abuja.

The earth tremor was reoccurring just a few months after an earth tremor shook the Mpape axis and environs in the FCT in September.

In the statement, the NGSA revealed that it received a call at about 12.45 p.m from a location in Maitama reporting the incident after which a technical team was immediately dispatched to the location.

It stated that a team was sent to the location of the call for an on-the-spot assessment and an internal response protocol was immediately activated, informing relevant government agencies and stakeholders.

“Our preliminary findings indicated that the tremor occurred at about 12.26 hrs around the vicinity of Panama Street in Maitama District, Abuja.

“After the field evaluation, the NGSA determined that the intensity was about 3.0 on the Mercalli Intensity Scale.

“That means it was just felt indoors and lasted less than one minute.

“Further inspection revealed that there was no structural damage due to the vibrations and hence, NEMA was adequately briefed by the NGSA.

“The residents were consequently assured that there was no cause for alarm,’’ it stated.

According to Owan, the NGSA technical teams are conducting further assessments and will continue to update the public on further development.

Visiting the scene of the incidence, residents expressed worry over the reoccurrence of the earth tremor in the FCT, saying that they no longer feel safe.

Hajiya, Lami Abubakar, who lives on Panama Street, said that it was important for adequate assessment to be done around the axis that has been experiencing the earth tremor.

She said that this would help identify the causes, to know if it was natural or due to manmade activities for possible solutions or safe practices that should be adhered to by residents.

She said that the reoccurrence was too soon, and she was yet to recover from the shock which has also affected her three-year-old baby.

Abubakar called on relevant agencies not to take the incident for granted.

By Lizzy Okoji

UNIDO, Edo to construct 2mw micro dam in Benin

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UNIDO, Edo to construct 2mw micro dam in Benin

Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo State says his administration is working with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) to construct a two-megawatt micro dam on Ikpoba River to improve power generation as well as to create jobs in the state.

Godwin-Obaseki
Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr Crusoe Obaseki, said this in Benin City, the state capital, on Thursday, November 1, 2018.

The Governor’s Aide said Obaseki disclosed this when he led some members of his cabinet on a condolence visit to family members of the late industrialist, Dr Efionayi Iyayi, in Benin on Wednesday.

The governor, extolling the roles late Iyayi played in boosting economic activities in the state, said: “We share his dreams that you must create the enabling environment for business to thrive.

‘’We will do all in our power, as a government, that the dream of creating jobs for Edo people is realised by my tenure.”

The governor said the two-megawatt dam project would commence next year and, on completion, supply power to a 30-hectare estate.

He said the estate would have an entertainment park that would host Nollywood investments.

Obaseki said his administration was also working on a 50-megawatt power plant that would be fired by gas produced in Ologbo area of the state.

‘’Two weeks ago, the National Electricity Regulatory Commission approved licence for one of our partners in Ologbo for the first phase of a 50-megawatt electricity which will be fired by gas produced in the area.”

‘’Construction has started, and the first phase of the electricity will supply power to the Benin Industrial park,” said the governor.

In his remarks, the first son of the deceased, Mr Caesar Iyayi, thanked Gov. Obaseki and his entourage for the condolence visit.

He said his late father lived an accomplished life worthy of emulation and created jobs for many people in Edo through his investments in manufacturing, construction and agriculture.

“He used his own resources to build a 20-kilometre road linking Benin-Abuja Expressway to Akure.

“He extended electricity to Egba Community from Benin City and built factories and police stations in the state.

“My father led a life of accommodation, tolerance, justice and sacrifice,” he said.

By Joy Odigie

Council urges aggressive campaign against environmental degradation

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Council urges aggressive campaign against environmental degradation

The National Council on Environment (NCE) has urged stakeholders to intensify efforts in engaging on aggressive campaign against human activities causing environmental degradation in the country.

Ibrahim Usman Jibril
Minister of State for Environment, Ibrahim Usman Jibril

The council gave the advice in a communique read by the Minister of State for Environment, Alhaji Ibrahim Jibril, in Akure, Ondo State, on Wednesday, October 31, 2018.

The NCE, the highest policy and decision-making body in the environment sector, held its 2018 meeting between Oct. 29 and 31 in Akure, Ondo State.

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

In the communiqué, the council observed that man-made activities were more responsible for environmental degradation than natural causes.

It also called on the three tiers of government, private sector, community-based organisations, faith-based organisations and NGOs to engage in aggressive public enlightenment and sensitisation programmes.

“The council has noted the ongoing reforms in the environment sector.

“It emphasised the need to prioritise the intricate and inexorable linkage between environment and security – food, human, social, economic and cultural by government at all levels as well as the citizenry,’’ the minister said.

The council called on the Federal Government to place environment as a top priority national security strategy.

“The council considered 138 memoranda, stepped down 33 and recommended 105, consisting of 70 actions and 35 information memoranda.

“In alignment with the theme of the council meeting, deliberations focused on consolidating reforms in the environment sector, strengthening the environmental sector in line with contemporary environmental challenges.’’

By Deji Abdulwahab

Lagos Assembly set to review environmental law, others

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Lagos Assembly set to review environmental law, others

The Lagos State House of Assembly on Thursday, November 1, 2018 began a three-day retreat to review the state’s Environmental Law and nine others to meet global best practices.

Mudashiru Obasa
Mr Mudashiru Obasa, Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the retreat, holding in Abeokuta, Ogun State, is aimed at revisiting the state laws to enhance their operational capacity for development.

Declaring the workshop open, Speaker Mudashiru Obasa said the House was committed to moving the state forward with realistic laws.

“For us to move Lagos State forward, there is the need for us to put in place laws that are enduring and in conformity to the interest of those who put us here.

“We must restructure them (selected laws) and introduce new laws where applicable. We need laws that can satisfy the interest of our constituents.

“In our parliamentary business, we need to pick laws that we have passed and see areas we need to tinker with so that we continue to do what we were elected for,” he said.

Obasa said that Lagos had a good environmental law in place.

“The fact that we have problems with the implementation of the law does not mean that the law is not good.

“We are here because people raised eyebrows over some aspects, and we want to see how we can amend them.

“We have brought in people, who have served as commissioners, as insiders, to tell us what is wrong with the laws and what we need to do.

“We will continue to review our laws. It is by going through them regularly that we will prepare our state for a better law. Even if a law was passed yesterday, we can come around to review it today,” the speaker said.

On the contention between the House and the executive arm over the engagement and activities of Visionscape Sanitation Solutions Ltd. for waste collection, Obasa said the company was incapable.

The speaker said that there was nothing like Visionscape in the new Environmental Law of the state.

He, however, said there were sections of the law that gave an opportunity to the executive arm to have private/public partnership.

According to him, in such an instance, the executive arm should revert to the House for approval.

This, he said, was not done by the current executive.

“We have said on the floor that no money of the state must be paid to Visionscape.

“I repeated it recently because the company is not known to us, and we are not aware of it,” he added.

NAN reports that the Assembly recently directed the 57 LGAs and LCDAs to engage the PSP operators for refuse clearing in the state.

Also speaking, Mr Sanai Agunbiade, the Majority Leader of the House, said that the Assembly passed laws and monitored them to meet the demands of the changing society.

Agunbiade said that the need to make the state’s law stronger and functional necessitated the retreat.

According to him, no law in the state has failed but there are some circumstances that require review of laws to enhance their operational capacity.

Also, Mr Tunde Briamoh, Chairman, House Committee on Judiciary, Public Petitions, Human Rights and Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission, said that laws were dynamic and required reviews for good governance.

Briamoh said the retreat was to make Lagos State laws to meet the yearnings and aspirations of the people.

Earlier, Mr Azeez Sanni, the Clerk of House, said that the review of the 10 laws was aimed at progressive transformation of the state.

NAN reports that one of the laws to be reviewed is Law to Consolidate all laws relating to the Environment for the Management, Protection and Sustainable Development of the Environment in the state and for connected purposes.

Others include: Public/Private Partnership Law, Urban and Regional Planning Law, Model City Law, Public Procurement Agency Law, Transport Law, Neighbourhood Safety Agency Law, and Environmental Law (Waste Management).

By Yemi Adeleye

HYPREP accused of lacking will to clean Ogoniland

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HYPREP accused of lacking will to clean Ogoniland

An Ogoni-born activist, Mr Kpobari Agara, has faulted the Federal Government’s creation of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), saying it lacked the will to implement Ogoniland clean-up.

Dr Marvin Dekil
Dr Marvin Dekil, National Project Coordinator, Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP)

Agara made the assertion in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday, November 1, 2018 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

He alleged that the Federal Government had no plan to justify the $177 million recently remitted as part of the initial $200 million for the Ogoni clean-up for 2018.

“It is worrisome, the Federal Government has no plan in terms of physical project to justify the payment so far made since the commencement of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) report implementation.”

NAN reports that the UNEP had recommended an initial release of $1 billion to be used for the clean-up of oil spills for over a period of five years.

The activist said that while huge sums of money had been retired to the Ogoni clean-up project, the people had yet to feel the impact of the exercise.

“This is the reason Ogoni people are not allowed to be involved at strategic levels in the plan, Ogoni people are outnumbered on the board of trustees.

Agara urged the Federal Government to shun bureaucratic bottlenecks and ensure maximum value in terms of projects to build trust among the Ogoni people.

“Instead of creating the Ogoni Environmental Restoration Agency recommended by the UNEP report, the Federal Government had gone ahead to create HYPREP which is rather a bogus contraption.

“If HYREP is striving towards achieving the clean-up, it would have at least accomplished some projects that would have boosted confidence in the Ogoni people.

“In the clean-up budget drawn by UNEP, there is a certain sum of money set aside for the support of modular refineries.

“But are modular refineries actually what we really want? Ogoni people need drinkable water.

“We need HYPREP to use these monies to alleviate the plight of the Ogoni people, our environment is consistently being degraded even beyond the UNEP report,” he said.

The activist urged Federal Government to tackle the UNEP report implementation headlong as an emergency to alleviate the suffering of the Ogoni people.

By Ikuru Lizzy

India’s environment minister blames state govts as pollution worsens in Delhi

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India’s environment minister blames state govts as pollution worsens in Delhi

India’s environment minister blamed the Delhi government and its neighboring states for failing in their efforts to check air pollution which was six times above the recommended limit on Thursday, November 1, 2018 posing severe health risks.

Delhi pollution
As Delhi’s pollution levels rise to severe, the EPCA has directed governments to impose all conditions under the Graded Response Action Plan under severe category

The minister, Harsh Vardhan, said in a statement that efforts by state governments, including Punjab and Haryana, to bring down incidents of widespread crop burning were “far from satisfactory”.

“In Punjab only, daily cases of stubble burning were still running into thousands,” the minister said, adding the overall incidents of crop burning were down 30 per cent from the previous year.

India has aimed to reduce stubble burning that is a major source of pollution during the winter months by 70 per cent in its top two farm states this year, a top government official said on Oct. 26, but experts questioned whether the target was credible.

The minister also blamed the Delhi city government for falling short of meeting its targets to rein in pollution from construction activities, open dumping or the burning of waste, including industrial waste, traffic congestion and road dust.

Delhi was also headed for a “deadly cocktail” of pollution in the coming weeks as a major Hindu festival of Diwali on Nov. 7 – during which many fireworks are usually let off – would coincide with crop burning.

NES calls for promotion, preservation of environment

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NES calls for promotion, preservation of environment

The Nigerian Environmental Society (NES), a non-governmental organisations (NGO), has called on Nigerians to promote and preserve a healthy environment for sustainability.

Minna
Minna in Niger State is hosting the 28th National Conference and Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Environmental Society (NES)

Dr Bashir Nuhu, Chairman of Local Organising Committee of NSE in Niger State, made the call while addressing newsmen in Minna on Thursday, November 1, 2018.

He said that the efforts made by the three tiers of government toward achieving sustainable environment must be complemented by all Nigerians.

Nuhu called on state governments to partner with environmental experts to proffer effective solutions to environmental issues in the country.

“NES plays an active role in local and international environmental programmes and is recognised as the premier environmental society and watchdog of environment in Nigeria.

“We are much concerned with our environment, how the environment can best be preserved and protected. We are encouraging people to plant trees to protect the environment.”

The organisation will hold its 28th National Conference and Annual General Meeting in Minna between Nov. 7 and Nov. 10.

The conference theme is: “Sustainable Future through Circular Economy and Natural Capital: Mainstreaming National Green Growth Plan”.

By Rita Iliya

Senate ready to pass gas flaring prohibition bill, says lawmaker

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Senate ready to pass gas flaring prohibition bill, says lawmaker

Chairman, Senate Committee on Gas, Sen. Bassey Albert, on Thursday, November 1, 2018 said that the Senate would pass the Gas Flaring Prohibition Bill before the end of the year.

Gas flaring
Gas flaring

Albert gave this hint in Lagos when he led his members on oversight functions to the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR).

He said the bill was currently on the third reading and would be given accelerated attention to enable it to come to fruition.

He explained that the bill, when passed, would eliminate gas flaring and put punitive measure against perpetrating the act by increasing the penal fees paid by seeing companies from N10 per 1,000 Standard Cubic Feet (SCF) of gas to 3.50 dollars per 1,000 SCF of gas.

Albert expressed the National Assembly’s support for the 2020 final elimination of gas flare out date but expressed the need for Nigeria to be pragmatic on the new date.

He also expressed discontent over the manner gas resources were being treated like byproduct, saying there was need for paradigm shift on the part of the country to see gas as economic enabler.

The legislator said the Senate was not resting on its oars to ensure that all the grey areas spotted by the President in the botched Petroleum Industry and Governance Bill were addressed and resent to him for final assent.

He promised that the Senate would look at the other legs of the Petroleum Industry Bill as part of its contribution to ensure a robust oil and gas industry in Nigeria.

To him, the Department of Petroleum Resources has not fared bad in playing its watchdog roles in the industry and assured that through its oversight functions, the Senate would collaborate with the agencies to nip in the bud challenges militating against the delivery of its mandate.

In his remarks, the acting Director of the DPR, Alhaji Ahmed Shakur, commended the Senate for its robust contribution and eventual submission of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIGB) to President Muhammadu Buhari.

Shakur said the roles played by the Senate in the PIGB showed that it was committed to ensuring the entrenchment of robust oil and gas laws in the country.

He also commended the lawmakers for the oversight visit, saying the DPR had always seen them as a partner in progress and assured that the agency would not derail in entrenching standards in the nation’s oil and gas sector.

He also told the visiting senators that the agency was committed to dedicated gas exploration, grow gas reserves to meet domestic and export needs.

The director added that the agency had embarked on aggressive campaign for the elimination of gas flaring in Nigeria by 2020, as well as meeting the target of 200 trillion cubic feet of gas by same year, which he said the agency had met in 2018.

By Yunus Yusuf 

Government lauded on pace of Ogoniland cleanup

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Government lauded on pace of Ogoniland cleanup

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.

Ogoniland cleanup
Ogoniland cleanup

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

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