As preparations reach top gear for the Second Meeting of Conference of the Parties of the Bamako Convention (Bamako COP2) scheduled to take place in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire from January 28 to 30 2018, a call has gone to the Federal Government to ratify as well as implement the treaty.
Ibrahim Usman Jibril, Minister of State for Environment
Leslie Adogame, SRADev Nigeria’s Executive Director, who made the call in a statement made availabled to EnviroNews on Monday, January 8, 2018, lamented that it is worrisome that Nigeria, who should play a lead role in the continent, has inadvertently lagged behind 29 other countries in Africa.
The Bamako Convention on the ban on the Import into Africa and the Control of Transboundary Movement and Management of Hazardous Wastes within Africa is a treaty of African nations prohibiting the import of any hazardous (including radioactive) waste. The Convention was negotiated by 12 nations of the Organisation of African Unity (now African Union) at Bamako, Mali in January, 1991, and came into force in 1998.
“Nigeria’s delay in ratifying the Bamako Convention after 20 years of its coming into force is a bad omen for a toxic-free country and continent; it is simply not enough to sign the Convention without ratification to implement it,” said Adogame.
Bamako COP2 will be held under the theme: “The Bamako Convention: a platform for a pollution-free Africa.” To date, the Convention has 29 Signatories and 25 Parties. Nigeria is yet to ratify and implement this Convention since becoming a signatory in 1998.
Faith Osa-Egharevba, Senior Programme Officer, at SRADev Nigeria, said, “Nigeria’s continued ‘observer status’ since COP1 in 2013 simply means no voice in the continent’s negotiation and on-going effort to implement the treaty.”
Justifying the need for the ratification, Adogame stressed that, in Africa, the impetus for the Bamako Convention arose from the realisation that several developed nations were exporting toxic wastes to Africa, such as the Koko case in Nigeria and Probo Koala case in Cote d’Ivoire. He added that the ratification and implementation of the Convention had become expedient since Nigeria recently signed a pact with Russia to build and operate a nuclear power plant despite concerns about poor quality control, safety and waste management.
In “The Future We Want”, the outcome document of Rio+20 (2012), Nigeria reaffirmed her commitment to achieve, by 2020, the sound management of chemicals throughout their life cycle and of hazardous waste in ways that lead to minimisation of significant adverse effects to human health and the environment, as set out in the Johannesburg Plan Of Implementation (JPOI 2002).
Similarly, Nigeria has consistently reiterated her diplomatic support for the UN in all its efforts, including the attainment of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. President Mohammed Buhari has since 2015 (70th session) been honoured to address the United Nation General Assembly (UNGA) each year at which he severally re-affirmed Nigeria’s commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) bold steps to transform the world.
“Charity, they say, must begin at home. We urgently call on the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Environment to match words with action away from ‘global diplomatic rhetoric’ to ratify the Convention before the COP2 meeting,” said Adogame.
The Federal Government says it will soon commence the establishment of cattle colonies in the states to check increasing cases of farmers-herdsmen clashes in the country.
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh
Chief Audu Ogbeh, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, said this at a Strategy Retreat for Civil Servants and Political appointees of the ministry in Abuja on Monday, January 8, 2018.
Ogbeh, while stating the target of his ministry for 2018, said the ministry would also engage in massive cattle breed improvement through artificial insemination.
“We want to handle the issue of cattle rearing and crisis between farmers and herdsmen and actually bring it to a halt.
“I know that some people argued that open grazing is our culture, once a culture begins to develop very dangerous trends, leading to warfare between people, bloody clashes and death, that culture is due for re-examination.
“A culture must not be left because it is a culture, if it is harmful, we reform it.
“We are talking of cattle colonies, not ranches. We are talking of massive cattle breed improvement through artificial insemination, we have to start immediately.
“Sixteen states have given us land to work on, the programme is not going to be cheap but Mr President has personally informed me that if we seek help from him, he will give it to us over and above the budget we have.
“In our interactions with the herdsmen, they always say that if we have water and grass, we will not move anywhere, grass is not grass,’’ he said.
Earlier, Mrs Winifred Ochinyabo, Senior Adviser to the minister on Special Projects and General Duties said the cattle colonies would have social amenities such as good roads, a school for the nomads’ children and health facilities.
She said that agro rangers (security personnel) would also be at the colonies to help guard the animals.
According to her, the national herbage has drastically been depleted. We don’t have enough edible grass for our cattle anymore.
“The pasture production will be encouraged in the colonies as feed for the cattle, and goats
“We will be encouraging the youths to grow grass,’’ she said.
The Country Director of Synergos, Mr Adewale Ajadi, called for synergy between the states and Federal Governments to ensure success in the sector.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Synergos is an organisation that promotes collaboration among government and farmers’ organisations to improve the lives of small holder farmers.
He commended the Green Alternative Document, adding that it was a practical exposition of where the country had to go and set the future in the sector.
“This has to be a fundamentally different year because it is a year where the issues of change will be critical.
“What we do this year is not just significant to where we go as a country but significant to the future of our children,’’ Ajadi said.
He appealed to civil servants and political appointees to work together in order to achieve the desired result in 2018.
The retreat was organised by the ministry in collaboration with Synergos.
An ecologist, Mr Habib Omotosho, has urged the Federal Government and other stakeholders to invest in solar energy to assist the nation in its drive to tackle climate change.
Rooftop solar power panels
Omotosho, who is the National Coordinator, Environmental Advancement Initiative, an NGO, said that such investment would stop the companies from polluting the environment.
He made the plea in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday, January 8, 2018 in Abuja.
Omotosho said that instead of investing in various kinds of renewable power, the government and private sector should focus on the development of solar energy.
The ecologist said that investment in various kinds of renewable power would not help the country in its agenda to enhance low carbon growth to tackle gas emissions.
According to him, development of solar energy will aid the reduction of greenhouse gases emissions.
Omotosho said that Nigeria should be known as a country that successfully invested in and developed solar energy to drive low carbon growth.
He said, “Making development more sustainable by changing paths from carbon intensive to low carbon technologies can make a significant contribution to climate goals.’’
The Zambian Government has declared a curfew in a poor Lusaka township badly affected by a cholera outbreak that has killed 58 people across the country since September.
A neighbourhood in Kanyama, Lusaka
Health Minister Chitalu Chilufya told reporters that the curfew in Kanyama, a densely populated slum of iron-roofed shacks and winding dirt tracks, begins on Sunday and will run from between 1800 and 0600.
The township has a population of 370,000 people.
Street vending and public gatherings have been banned in Lusaka to prevent the spread of cholera but the residents of Kanyama have been defying this order in the evenings after soldiers deployed to clean the streets have left.
“Kanyama has recorded the highest number of fatalities because of the poor compliance with interventions that have been put in place,” Chilufya said.
The cholera outbreak was initially linked to contaminated water from shallow wells, but investigations indicated that contaminated food was the main culprit.
Zambia on Thursday shut three of South African retailer Shoprite’s Hungry Lion fast-food restaurants after their food tested positive for the bacterium that causes cholera.
Hungry Lion said on Saturday that the restaurants had been closed for disinfection and it hoped that the government would soon allow them to reopen.
President Edgar Lungu on Dec. 30 directed the military to help to fight the spread of the waterborne disease.
Cholera causes acute watery diarrhea.
It can be treated with oral hydration solutions and antibiotics but spreads rapidly and can kill within hours if not treated.
Successive governments have formulated and implemented policies to develop the Nigerian economy, with the present administration determined to do more by diversifying from oil and fighting corruption.
Former Minister of Education, Dr Oby Ezekwesili
However, closing the gap in men and women contributions to economic growth has yet to be adequately exploited as a strategy to develop the economy and alleviate poverty.
According to the Global Gender Gap Report, 2017, released by the World Economic Forum (WEF), Nigeria is the 122nd out of 144 countries in closing gender gap.
The report ranked gender-based disparities in different countries particularly in the areas of economic participation, education, health and survival, and political empowerment.
The rankings are designed to create global awareness to challenges posed by gender gap and to highlight opportunities in reducing the gap,” according to WEF.
A former Minister of Education, Dr Oby Ezekwesili, comments on Nigeria’s position.
” Nigeria is 122nd out of 144 on Global Gender Gap Report, 2017. This is poor. We must do better from now.
“Part of Rwanda’s sustained strong economic performance over last 15 years is traceable to the inspiring way it has bridged gender gap.
”We have to prepare ourselves rapidly for post-oil Nigeria, and the best way is to empower all our girls and women and unleash their talents,’’ she adds.
Ezekwesili explains that gender parity is about making the woman the best she can be.
Dr Adesina Fagbenro, a former Regional Coordinator of Department for International Development, South-West, cautions that no country can prosper economically if half of its citizens are left behind.
According to him, women participation is fundamental to inclusive governance without which good governance and economic development are not possible.
” If government is to meet the needs of both men and women, it must build on the experiences of both genders. Such equality can grow our economy and reduce poverty, ”he says.
Dr Omobola Johnson, a former Minister of Communications Technology and Chairperson, Alliance for Affordable Internet, calls for equal opportunities within the workforce to help women to reach the peak of their careers and contribute much to national development.
She wants corporate organisations and civil societies to support and empower women for nation-building.
”Providing equal opportunities within the workforce will accelerate a woman’s career. Organisations should create a flexible environment for women to contribute effectively at work while having time for the family.
”We need to ensure more female representation at the top in the private and public sectors by eliminating barriers against women working in certain sectors or occupations to increase output.”
A real estate investor, Mrs Udo Okonjo, regrets that Nigeria loses much in gross domestic product due to lack of gender inclusiveness.
Okonjo is convinced that women are naturally endowed with strength for multi-tasks and entrepreneurship to bring about employment creation, economic development, domestic savings and social and political stability.
”Greater management of household resources by women, either through their own earnings or cash transfers, shows that if given opportunities to occupy top positions, they can enhance growth by spending in ways that benefit the society,’’ she argues.
In her views, Mrs Amina Oyagbola, Founder, Women in Successful Careers (WISCAR), says educating, mentoring and empowering women have proven to be a catalyst for rapid socio-economic growth across the world.
According to Oyagbola, societies where women are repressed are among the most backward.
“Nigeria seems to be somewhere in-between.’’
She claims that women in Nigeria make up 49 per cent of the total population but lacked opportunities to realise their potential and contribute to economic growth.
According to her, this is a waste of human capital and a barrier to economic progress.
“This is a dangerous state of affairs for any society.
”Women are valuable role models, agents of positive cultural and policy changes. If we can harness these attributes effectively, Nigeria’s growth can be more inclusive and equitable. Education of women is therefore key.
”This is why WISCAR, via its mentoring programme, is helping to equip several professional women with relevant skills and competencies to effectively manage their careers, assume leadership positions and contribute to nation-building. ”
Mrs Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi, Wife of former Gov. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti, says that promotion of women’s economic rights is critical to economic growth.
According to her, these rights entail sexual and reproductive rights and rights to education, mobility and ownership, as well as right to live free from violence.
She identifies early and forced marriage as factors limiting young women’s engagement in educational and economic activities.
”Threats to women’s rights include those posed by culture, religion and tradition, as well as processes of globalisation and economic change.
”Right gained is not right maintained, unless there is constant monitoring of rights,’’ she argues.
Adeleye-Fayemi suggests strengthening of women’s access to both formal and informal justice systems, adding that the systems should advance equal rights, opportunities and participation.
”There is a need to create full and decent productive employment opportunities for women and access to finance, as well as provision of social protection. ”
The Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, Mr Jaiyeola Olaoye, also emphasises that women contribution is important for the growth of any economy.
”Investment in the health and education of women and girls are the way forward.
“ The logic is that educated, healthy women are more able to engage in productive activities, find formal sector employment and earn higher incomes than uneducated women.
”Educated women are more likely to invest in the education of their own children and are likely to have fewer children.
“Thus, investment in human capital has positive short and long term outcomes; it is good for productivity gains.
”Attention should be focused on equal access to education, ” he advises.
Mrs Clare Omatseye, the Director of Society for Corporate Governance, suggests that gender equality and inclusiveness should be given a priority attention in the public and private sectors.
”As Nigeria pursues various economic development plans including the Millennium Development Strategy Vision 2020, a core part of the national strategy must be to invest more in women empowerment.
” Nigeria and Africa as a whole must invest in women. The economic future depends on it.
”Give women the opportunity to grow. Don’t view them as threats but as partners in progress, she urges.
Analysts call on the three tiers of the Nigerian Government to adequately empower women and girls so they can be partners in the efforts for the country’s economic success.
Analysts also urge women to make conscious efforts to get into leadership positions and make positive impacts that will inspire others.
The FADAMA III Additional Financing in Niger State, on Monday, January 8, 2018 said it had spent N197 million on the rehabilitation of irrigation dam in Edozhigi community of Gbako Local Government Area of the state.
Dr Adetunji Oredipe, World Bank Task Team Leader for the FADAMA III Programme
Alhaji Baba Shaba, the Communication Officer of FADAMA III in Niger, made this disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Minna.
He explained that the entire irrigation scheme was 870 hectares of land, consisting of primary and secondary canals and only 140 hectares had been rehabilitated.
Shaba said that the irrigation scheme would assist farmers in the area to cultivate about 20 hactares of rice for dry season farming before the end of January.
He advised the farmers in the areas to take advantage of the irrigation dam to improve on dry season farming, so as to have all year round harvest of rice in the state.
Shaba added that FADAMA III also spent three million naira to purchase milling and stoner engine for women in Edozhigi, as part of the efforts to empower them to become self-reliant.
He said that the milling and stoner engine would be used to add value to their farm produce and process them before selling in the market.
Coordinator of the FADAMA scheme in Anambra State, Mr Chukwuka Egbueh, has called on the youth to engage in farming so as to support the government’s efforts to develop the agricultural sector.
Youths involved in farming. Photo credit: smeonline.biz
Egbueh made the call on Monday, January 8, 2018 in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Awka, the state capital.
He stressed that government had made a lot of investments to overhaul and develop the agricultural sector.
“Nigeria did well in agriculture in the First Republic but I can tell you that at no time has the sector received more financial support from government than now.
“However, more efforts should be made to educate and mobilise our youths to develop a positive mindset towards agriculture. The youths should also be sensitised to fully appreciate the dignity of labour,’’ he said.
Egbueh noted that a major challenge facing efforts to develop the agricultural sector was the growing population of ageing farmers.
He, therefore, said that pragmatic efforts should be made to encourage the youth to take up farming as their profession.
“Youths should be encouraged to fill the gaps being created by our ageing farmers.
“Farming is a rewarding and lucrative profession; that is why the youth should be encouraged to engage in crop growing.
“However, there are lots of incentives by governments, in form of grants and loans, to encourage serious youths to go into farming,’’ he added.
Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have been called upon to engage in campaigns that expose all government subsidies to fossil fuel corporations, and work to end the policy.
Phasing out of fossil fuel subsidies has generated numerous debates, such as those at the COP21 climate conference in Paris, where a communiqué outlined important messages on how the world can phase out fossil fuels
In the January 2018 Climate Scorecard Report No 16 made available to EnviroNews, CSOs were enjoined to contact policymakers at national, provincial, state and local levels of their government and urge them to take steps to comply with the call by the G7 and G20 countries to end all fossil fuel subsidies by the year 2025 – or sooner.
In the report titled: “Fossil fuel subsidies in leading greenhouse gas emitting countries”, Climate Scorecard, a not-for-profit group, summarises recent annual fossil fuel subsidies and policies of the 20 leading greenhouse gas emitting countries, including Nigeria ($160 million in 2017). They range in magnitude from $60.9 billion (Saudi Arabia) to $667 million (South Korea).
A subsidy is a sum of money granted by a government or a public body to assist an industry or business so that the price of a commodity or service may remain low or competitive. In many countries, tax-payers’ money is given by governments as subsidies to fossil fuel corporations. These subsidies are used to help develop new sources of coal, oil and gas and to make energy from these sources less expensive to consumers.
According to the journal World Development, fossil fuel subsidies were $4.9 trillion worldwide in 2013 and $5.3 trillion in 2015 (6.5% of global GDP in both years). Coal subsidies are said to account for about half of global subsidies.
Fossil fuel subsidies take many different forms including: direct support for both national and international exploration of new sources of oil, coal and natural gas; tax breaks and exemptions; concessional loans to fossil fuel producers; and subsidisation of consumer energy prices.
Subsidies, it was gathered, have the effect of artificially lowering the cost of fossil fuel energy, and giving fossil fuel companies a competitive advantage over renewable energy providers.
“They represent a drain on government revenue and a poor use of taxpayer money. Subsidies contribute to global warming caused by fossil fuel generated CO2 emissions, and to atmospheric pollution that has been linked to increases in respiratory illnesses and other diseases. There is now a worldwide movement to end fossil fuel subsidies,” the Climate Scorecard report says.
However, G7 countries (UK, US, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the EU) have pledged to end fossil fuel subsidies by 2025. The G20 nations also have called for the termination of all such subsidies, though have yet to set a target date.
The report adds: “These subsidies to fossil fuel corporations have helped to make these corporations among the wealthiest entities in the world with enormous annual profits going to many of the wealthiest individuals in the world. In addition, the oil industry is one of the most powerful players and influencers in the global economy. In most countries, fossil fuel corporate lobbyists press governments to continue and expand these very beneficial subsidies.”
Besides those of Nigeria, Saudi Arabia and South Korea, the report lists fossil fuel subsidies in other leading greenhouse gas emitting countries to include: Argentina ($13.6 billion in 2014 in consumption subsidies), Australia ($11 billion per annum from tax-based subsidies), Brazil ($59.3 billion per annum from subsidies to private companies), Canada ($46.4 billion per annum), China (partial estimate $15.42 billion; complete estimate unavailable), Germany ($40 billion fiscal support and public finance $2.88 billion per year, 2014-2016), India ($20.4 billion in 2016), Indonesia ($8 billion in 2015, $4 billion in 2016), Italy ($17.5 billion in 2016) and Japan ($376 million).
Others are: Mexico ($11 billion spent in subsidies in 2012, 1.4% of Mexico’s GDP), Russia ($14.4 billion in 2010), Spain ($1.4 billion between 2014 and 2016), Thailand ($.438 billion spent on fossil fuel subsidies in 2016), Turkey (estimated between $300 million and $1.6 billion), United Kingdon ($8 billion every year) and United States ($8.157 billion in 2015).
Nigeria introduced petroleum subsidies in the 1960s with the aim of strengthening its local industry and improving product affordability and domestic consumption. A report published by the Council on Foreign Relations estimates that the Nigerian government spent about $20 billion on fuel subsidy in 2013.
The subsidy was removed in May 2016 amid falling crude oil price and an economic recession. However, more than $160 million was spent on subsidy in early 2017 as the national oil company absorbed costs due to an increase in crude oil price from about $20 per barrel in 2015 to about $50 per barrel for most of 2017.
Observers say that the short duration of the subsidy removal makes it difficult to assess its effect on carbon emissions reduction.
The collapse in crude oil price in recent times is said to be an important factor that led the Federal Government to remove fuel subsidies. It also was felt that an enduring global shift in focus from fossil fuels to renewables (available at an affordable price) would drive down petroleum prices and naturally incentivise the government to remove subsidies.
It is also felt that local production and supply of petroleum products by existing and new refineries would eliminate much of the costs subsidised by the government.
The final rites for the installation of Otunba Gani Adams as the 15th Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland will begin on Wednesday, January 10, 2018.
Otunba Gani Adams
Since he was designated as the Aare Ona Kakanfo in 2017 by the Alaafin of Oyo, Iku Baba Yeye, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi II, Adams had been engaged in several processes that will lead to his installation on January 13, 2018 at Durbar Stadium, Oyo, Oyo State.
From Wednesday, the National Coordinator of the Oodua People’s Congress and Founder of Oodua Progressive Union, which is in 79 countries, will be in seclusion in Oyo town.
According to information from the Media Office of the Aare Ona Kakanfo-designate, the schedule of rites, which will end in the wee hours of Saturday, had been drawn up by the Palace of Oba Adeyemi.
Also on the schedule of programme for the installation is a press conference to be addressed by the Oyo State Government to unveil the details of the installation ceremony on Saturday and provide guests and users of the ever-busy Ibadan-Oyo-Ogbomoso Road with traffic diversion and parking arrangements.
Among the several dignitaries expected at the ceremony are the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN); the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki; the Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara; and the Ooni of Ife, Oonirisa Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi.
Also expected are Obas of the six South West States and those of Yoruba speaking areas of Kogi and Kwara States; captains of industry; and the Diplomatic Corps in Nigeria and representatives of foreign governments.
Adams, who succeeds late business mogul, Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, as Aare Ona Kakanfo, was appointed by Oba Adeyemi on October 16, 2017.
He holds 52 chieftaincy titles.
As a human rights activist, he was involved in the struggle for the return of Nigeria to democracy after several years of military rule and has defended the rights of the underprivileged.
A 25-year plan to plant 50 million trees across the North of England has been backed by the Government.
The Government has given financial backing to the Northern Forest project as part of its 25-year environmental strategy
The Northern Forest will connect five community forests across the north of the country, creating a band of native broadleaf trees such a oaks, and conifers like spruce and pine.
Planting will span a 120-mile stretch along the M62 corridor between Liverpool and Hull, totalling 25,000 hectares of forest.
With a Government contribution of £5.7 million, the project is expected to cost a total of £500m with charities making up the rest of the sum.
The woodlands will create a new habitat for wildlife including birds and bats, as well as endangered red squirrels.
The project’s backers say it could bring economic benefits, generating £2 billion through boosting tourism and rural business, increasing property values and reducing the impacts of flooding.
England is one of the least wooded countries in Europe. Forest coverage across the country is about 10%, according to the Woodland Trust, compared to about 36% across the continent.
The organisation warned last year that the UK could be felling more trees than it was planting – the first time the balance had been tipped for decades, spelling bad news for climate change and conservation.
It welcomed the Government’s contribution to tree planting over the next decades.
“The Northern Forest will accelerate the creation of new woodland and support sustainable management of existing woods right across the area,” Austin Brady, director of conservation at the woodland trust, said.
“Planting many more trees, woods and forests will deliver a better environment for all – locking up carbon on a large scale, boosting wildlife habitat and greening our towns and cities.”
Trees have been lost to infrastructure and development projects, and a lack of tree-planting projects have meant few new woodlands are growing to replace them.
The scheme’s backers hope the project – part of the Government’s 25-year environment plan – will help meet targets to cuts climate change emissions.
The scheme will connect the five Community Forests in the north of England, the Mersey Forest, Manchester City of Trees, South Yorkshire Community Forest, the Leeds White Rose Forest and the HEYwoods Project.
