26.1 C
Lagos
Thursday, May 22, 2025
Home Blog Page 1794

Lawyers hail Kenya Supreme Court decision, charge Nigeria to emulate feat

admin
-
0
Lawyers hail Kenya Supreme Court decision, charge Nigeria to emulate feat

Nigerian lawyers have described the annulment of Kenyan’s presidential election by the country’s Supreme Court as victory for constitutional democracy, urging Nigeria’s judiciary to emulate the courage of Kenyan justices.

Kenya election
The opposition leader Raila Odinga arriving at the Supreme Court in Nairobi on Friday. The court nullified last month’s presidential election. Photo credit: Ben Curtis / Associated Press

The Supreme Court in Kenya on Friday, September 1, 2017 declared the presidential elections held on August 8 as null and avoid and ruled that a re-run be conducted within 60 days.
According to the justices, the presidential election was not conducted in accordance with the constitution.

Chief Emeka Ngige (SAN) said the judgment is good for our nascent democracy in Africa as a whole.

The decision, he said, would now be cited as a precedent that any election, be it presidential or councilorship election which was not conducted in accordance with the law is liable to be nullified.

He said: “There was an opportunity for the Supreme Court of Nigeria to make such bold decision but it was missed in 2007 when the majority of the justices upheld a highly flawed election conducted by INEC under Prof Iwu. “Yar’Adua the beneficiary of the rigged election acknowledged same in his national broadcast and set up Uwais Election Reform Committee. Till date the two unfortunate decisions in Buhari Vs Inec & Atiku Abubakar Vs Yar’adua are still being cited as authorities by our courts to save rigged elections.

“So I hail the justices of the Kenyan Supreme Court for their courage and boldness in nullifying the rigged Kenyan election. Heaven will not fall.

“The lesson for Nigeria is that we must be very cautious in the use of electronic voting for our 2019 election. Its open to manipulation as was witnessed in Kenya and in the last NBA national election.”

Bar. Ifeoha Azikiwe said Kenya has set an unbeatable standard for the judiciary in Africa.

He maintained that there must be a departure from the past, adding that if it were to be in Nigeria,  the case would have lingered until the incumbent completed his four or eight years in office or would eventually be declared a winner.

“It is a big challenge to the bench and bar in Nigeria who would have used legal technicalities to reverse the case. Looking back at history, have the Kenyatta’s honestly won any election in Kenya?  It has always been a “landslide victory” for the ruling party. The country has always had highly controversial elections. Thank God there is one Raila Odinga that gives hope to the opposition in Africa,” he stated.

Abuja based lawyer, Abubakar Sani, said the judgment, which he described as salutary and most welcomed, said it is a breath of fresh air and shows that there is hope for Africa.

“It is a sign that African legal institutions are coming of age, they are becoming fearless, bold and willing to assert their independence more than ever before.  It is good news and gives one much to cheer about. It is certainly worth celebrating,” he stressed.

Also, Bar Tony Odiadi said it is a good development showing the full capacity of the judicial arm to intervene and decide whether any election was in compliance with the law as stated.

According to him, a precedent of this nature, will surely stand in good stead to enable the judiciary in other countries to be so decisive.

His words: “It must be mentioned that the Nigerian judiciary has not through its more recent history intervened in any manner as radical as this Kenyan case. Not in the Awolowo v Shagari and Buhari v Yar’adua cases have judicial power been expressed of this magnitude. “The decisions in the Amaechi, Obi, Ladoja cases etc are more of pronouncements on interpretations where states were in issue, not the presidential election.

“It shows a full measure of judicial confidence that will serve the purpose of facilitating compliance with extant provisions of the law.”

He noted that many issues dog elections in Nigeria, ranging from preelection and post election matters, violence at the polls, qualification to stand election, double voting, underage voting, wrong collation of votes, and others.

According to him, all those are capable of leading to voiding votes and elections, but the courts place high thresholds for petitioners.

“We must congratulate the Kenyan Supreme Court for this judicial courage. It was in the Atiku cases against INEC on qualification to contest election that the Nigerian Judiciary showed equal masculinity in holding that the Vice President’s loyalty is to the constitution and not to the person of Mr President,” he stated.

Similarly, Bar Solomon Ukhuegbe said Kenya has done so well in a few constitutional cases aside from election petitions.

Ukhuegbe noted that election appeals seem to drag forever in Nigeria because governorship election petitions, for example, go through two appeals and pre-election cases have no time limit and often drag on for years.

“In Kenya, the presidential election petition went straight to the Supreme Court and it seems most of the proceedings was documentary. In Nigeria in contrast, the Supreme Court is never a court of first instance in such matters.

“Secondly, our election jurisprudence requires hundreds of witnesses, in order to prove malpractice in practically every polling station. Even with the process of having witnesses adopt their written statements, it is still very time consuming with cross examination and all that,” he stated.

The Committee for the Protection of Peoples Mandate (CPPM) also commended the Kenya Supreme Court for upholding the tenets of constitutionalism and reaffirming the people’s faith in democracy and the rule of law.

“We regard this judgement as a victory for constitutional democracy which must be commended and emulated by other African countries for the peace, progress and development of the African continent.

“We commend most sincerely the opposition party who though aggrieved with the outcome of the Presidential election, didn’t take the laws into their hands, but explored the constitutional and democratic option of approaching the courts to seek justice which has been dispensed with,” the group said in a statement endorsed by Nelson Ekujumi, its Executive Chairman.

The judgement of the Supreme Court in annulling the outcome of Kenya’s 2017 Presidential election, the group said, represents a new chapter in the democratic process in Africa because it signposts the independence, doggedness and commitment of the Kenyan judiciary to the constitution.

“The judgement of the Kenya Supreme Court should also serve as a wake up call to political parties in Africa who lose election, to realise that the courts or the judiciary remains the only civilized and democratic medium to get justice based on presentation of incontrovertible facts and not just to cry foul to raise tension and heat up the polity.

“As we celebrate with the Kenya people for setting a new standard with regards to constitutional democracy, may we encourage and admonish them to continue to keep faith with democracy by being eternally vigilant in preparation for the yet to be scheduled Presidential election and maintain the peace before, during and after the election,” the group counseled.

By Chinyere Obia 

World Water Week: Summit closes, as experts underline values of water

admin
-
0
World Water Week: Summit closes, as experts underline values of water

Understanding and recognising the many different values attached to water is the key to more efficient use – a must as more people have to share the world’s limited fresh water.

World Water Week
Participants at the World Water Week

The World Water Week closed on Friday, September 1, 2017 in Stockholm, Sweden, where over 3,200 participants from 133 countries attended several hundred sessions, shared experiences, and discussed solutions to the world’s most critical water challenges.

Water is the lifeline of our civilisation, say the organisers, adding that, without it, there is no hope of sustaining households, industries, food and energy production, or such key functions as hospitals. Access to safe water is necessary in order to implement the global development agenda, they note.

“With increasing scarcity, we must recognise the many values attached to water, be it economic, social, environmental, cultural or religious. I believe that, by re-valuing water, we will develop a deeper understanding and respect for this precious resource, and thus be better prepared for more efficient use,” says Torgny Holmgren, Executive Director of the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI), organisers and hosts of the World Water Week.

SIWI is a global water institute that brings together water and development experts and contributes its own expertise to help solve the world’s water challenges.

Throughout World Water Week, links were made between the different values of water, including its monetary value.

“I believe we will see more diverse pricing structures in the future, allowing for more economical and efficient use,” Holmgren stresses.

A growing global population is creating a higher demand for fresh water. Climate-driven changes in weather patterns, leading to extended droughts and devastating floods, further exacerbate pressure on our common water resources.

“Efficient use, therefore, is not an option but a must to ensure availability for all of us,” Holmgren adds.

Another focus of the World Water Week is the realisation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In a filmed message to World Water Week, Amina J Mohamed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, pressed on the need to accelerate progress towards SDG6 on clean water and sanitation and on all the water-related sustainable development goals.
“Today, strains on water are rising in all regions and climate change is aggravating the challenge. When water is unequally shared, or perceived to be, the risk of local and national conflict increases. We are even seeing in some cases the use of water as a weapon of war.

“The priority now is to harness national leadership and global partnership to scale up action. (…) Only by ensuring the sustainability of fresh water and access to sanitation for all will we achieve the SDGs. Let us value and treasure water as we value and treasure life itself,” concluds Amina J Mohamed.

Nomvula Mokonyane, Minister of Water and Sanitation in South Africa, stressed that mankind needs to embrace new technologies which support her route towards the realisation of the SDGs and that an appreciation must also be given to new world class technologies emanating from Africa.

“We cannot afford to continue to do what we did yesterday and expect to see a different result tomorrow. We must be bold!” says Mokonyane.

Mark Watts from C40, an organisation that gathers mayors of cities worldwide, told World Water Week participants about the risks that big cities face from climate change and how water is key to mitigation and adaptation efforts.
“We see that water pattern disruption is often the first sign of serious climate impacts and 70 per cent of our member cities tell us that they are already seeing the significant and negative impacts of climate change. 64 per cent of our member cities face significant risk from surface and flash floods,” Watts says, adding that water must be part of the climate mitigation programmes, but also a central part of climate adaptation.

World Water Week hosted an event taking stock of water in the implementation of both Agenda 2030 and the Paris Climate Agreement. Addressing the event, Hungarian President János Áder said the world needs a more focused global effort towards tackling water challenges.

World Water Week 2017 was the 27th edition. The 2018 World Water Week, to be held from August 26 to 31 in Stockholm, will focus on “Water, Ecosystems and Human Development”.

World Water Week: Millions affected by poor sanitation, access to clean water

admin
-
0
World Water Week: Millions affected by poor sanitation, access to clean water

New World Bank research from 18 countries shows urgent action on water and sanitation is key to tackle poverty

Makhtar Diop
Vice President for Africa of the World Bank, Makhtar Diop

Reaching the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of access to safely managed water and sanitation services by 2030 will require countries to spend $150 billion per year. A fourfold increase in water supply, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) investments compared to what is spent today, this is out of reach for many countries, threatening progress on poverty eradication.

A World Bank report launched on Monday, August 28, 2017 at the World Water Week titled “Reducing Inequalities in Water Supply, Sanitation, and Hygiene in the Era of the Sustainable Development Goals” suggests that a drastic change is required in the way countries manage resources and provide key services, starting with better targeting to ensure they reach those most in need, and tackling inefficiencies to make sure public services are sustainable and effective.

Moreover, the report states that water, health, and nutrition interventions need to be coordinated to make substantive progress in the fight against childhood stunting and mortality. While improving water and sanitation alone improves a child’s well-being, the impacts on a child’s future are even greater when combined with health, and nutrition interventions.

“Millions are currently trapped in poverty by poor water supply and sanitation, which contributes to childhood stunting and debilitating diseases such as diarrhea. To give everyone an equal chance at reaching their full potential, more resources, targeted to areas of high vulnerability and low access, are needed to close the gaps and improve poor water and sanitation services. This report provides a roadmap for closing that gap,” says Guangzhe Chen, Senior Director of the Water Global Practice of the World Bank.

Offering a comprehensive analysis of water and sanitation indicators, the research spans 18 countries around the world and, for the first time, pinpoints specific geographic regions within countries that have inadequate WASH services.  It sheds light on major disparities in water supply and sanitation services between rural and urban, poor and non-poor areas.

The research finds a particularly stark contrast between urban and rural areas. Across the 18 countries, 75% of people who lack improved sanitation live in rural areas, and only 20% of rural inhabitants have access to improved water. This report provides policymakers with a baseline and guidance on how to better target investments to ensure that basic services reach the poorest communities and households.

Over two years, the research teams collected data on access to, and quality of, WASH services, including:

  • In Nigeria, over 60% of the rural population live more than 30 minutes away from a working water source.
  • In Indonesia, only 5% of urban wastewater is safely treated and disposed of, and children living in communities with open defecation during the first 1,000 days of life are 11 percentage points more likely to be stunted.
  • In Bangladesh, E. coli was present in about 80% of water taps sampled, a similar rate to water scooped up from ponds.
  • In Ecuador, 24% of the rural population drinks contaminated water; 21% of children are stunted and 18% are underweight.
  • In Haiti, access to improved drinking water sources has declined in the last 25 years; access to improved sanitation is stagnant at 33%; and the number of households with access on premises to improved water has decreased from 15 to 7%.

“Water and sanitation services need to improve dramatically, or the consequences on health and well-being will be dire. Today, diarrhea is the second leading cause of death in children under 5. Poor children also suffer from intestinal diseases, which together with under-nutrition and infections contribute to stunting. We are risking the futures of our children: their potential is being stymied by unequal or uneven access to the services they require to thrive,” says Rachid Benmessaoud, Country Director in Nigeria.

The report highlights that, in many countries, services do not reach the poor because of poor implementation, not poor policy – and our children are suffering as a result. The report offers a fresh perspective on the complexities of why services fail, and how progress on improvements needs to navigate the broader political and governance environment in which service providers operate.

The research is part of the World Bank’s ongoing WASH Poverty Diagnostics initiative, which consists of 18 reports in client countries.

The 2017 World Water Week came to a close on Friday, September 1.

Academy of Sciences to build Africa’s science journalism capacity

admin
-
0
Academy of Sciences to build Africa’s science journalism capacity

The African Academy of Sciences (AAS) on Friday, September 1, 2017 launched a project to provide funding for building the capacity of science journalists and improving the coverage of science on the continent over the next two years.

Prof Felix Dapare Dakora
Prof Felix Dapare Dakora, President, African Academy of Sciences (AAS)

The launch was at the Highway Africa conference, the largest annual gathering of African journalists, which ended on Friday in Grahamstown, South Africa.

The Africa Science Desk, which was launched in partnership with the African Federation of Science Journalists and the South African Science Journalists Association with the support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, will fund journalists to research and publish stories in the six strategic focus areas of the AAS: health and wellbeing, climate change, food security and nutritional wellbeing, water and sanitation, sustainable energy and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics).

It will also support data journalism and be implemented through the AAS and the NEPAD Agency’s Alliance for Accelerating Excellence in Science in Africa (AESA), an agenda setting, funding and programme management platform.

The programme will initially focus on journalists in Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal and South Africa, and will be extended to other countries after the first phase in 2018. Journalists will be invited to submit pitches, which will be considered on an ongoing basis for funding through mid-2019.

Early-career African journalists will be paired with senior science journalists internationally and continentally who will provide mentorship to contribute to the quality of science reporting in Africa.

“We recognise the important role that journalism plays in demonstrating impact and raising awareness of science in Africa. By providing this support, we hope journalists can play a stronger role in building the public discourse about how science contributes to the betterment of society,” said Nelson Torto, AAS Executive Director.

Science contributes directly to helping Africa to overcome its development challenges. Yet every field of science remains under-reported; indeed, media houses in some countries have closed their science desks altogether. The dearth of science stories is a result of and compounded by the lack of formal training in science journalism on the continent; few African journalists have a science background. Moreover, stories are increasingly written directly from press releases, without independent analysis or sceptical review. This leads to the unfortunate and ever-increasing practice of “churnalism”, whereby news organisations republish verbatim material sent by public relations agencies and commercial sources, undermining the credibility of science reporting.

The result of  poor investment in science journalism is that science remains at the periphery of the agenda of African governments as demonstrated by low funding of science at an average of just 0.42% of GDP, compared to China’s 2.08% and Europe Union’s 1.92%. Africa must invest a minimum of $2 billion of its own resources to reduce and eventually offset reliance on international funding, particularly at a time when nationalist sentiment in the West threatens to undermine funding for research and development in Africa.

The AAS aims to create a competent pool of science journalists to improve the quality and quantity of science coverage, and improve the uptake of science findings from the continent.

“Credible and independent science journalism is essential to demonstrate impact and raise awareness among African governments and policy makers whose relative focus on funding priorities tends to correspond to media coverage,” said Deborah-Fay Ndlovu, the Communications Manager for the AAS.

“Africa urgently needs good science journalism to communicate the science-based challenges and opportunities facing the  continent in the immediate future; sustained attention and investment is essential to create a competent core of science journalists,” said Mandi Smallhorne, the President of AFSJ and SASJA.

“Building capacity in science journalism has the potential to impact on global health and development as it creates a space for media to ignite conversations about issues of importance to the continent and hopefully translate to the action required to address them,” said Moky Makura, the Deputy Director for Communications for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Africa office.

Read the call for pitches: https://www. aasciences.ac.ke/aesa/en/ programmes/africa-science- desk/call-for-pitches/

The AAS is a Pan-African organisation headquartered in Kenya, which aims to drive sustainable development in Africa through science, technology and innovation.

Report underlines need for National Urban Policy for Palestine

admin
-
0
Report underlines need for National Urban Policy for Palestine

The first State of Palestine Cities Report calls for development of a National Urban Policy and recommends that more effort should be made to improve the planning and governance frameworks, mainstream public participation policies and open up more space for citizens’ participation in decision-making.

Ramallah Palestine
Ramallah, Palestine

UN-Habitat on Thursday, August 31, 2017 launched the report jointly with the Palestinian Ministry of Local Government (MoLG) and the Municipal and Development Lending Fund (MDLF), which analyses the urban context in Palestine, indicates urbanisation trends and forces, and highlights recent debates and initiatives. It reflects the current urban reality with all its spatial, social, economic, and environmental components, and highlights the main obstacles that hinder sustainable development in Palestinian cities.

The report highlights how Palestinian cities are similar to other cities around the world, which are witnessing rapid urbanisation, where nearly 75 per cent of the Palestinian population lives in urban areas.

It also sheds light on the impacts of on-going rapid urbanisation in Palestine and current geopolitical constrains on the dynamics of the economic development; the patterns of urban development; the provision of urban services and infrastructure; the provision of housing; the urban governance; and the deteriorating state of the urban environment and its potential negative impact on the quality of the living environment.

“In Palestine, whereas we have made progress in advancing our state-building and development agendas, thinking urban in terms of potentials, limitations, and ways in which global and regional urban agendas and urbanisation trends are impacting national and local urban development plans, is still a new concept and at best a work in progress,” said Dr. Hussein Al Araj, Minister of Local Government.

“We at UN-Habitat are very proud that we were able to facilitate the production of this highly informative Report, which will hopefully encourage further work on localising the global urban development agendas, including SDG11 and the New Urban Agenda, in ongoing efforts towards achieving more sustainable and resilient Palestinian cities,” said Dr. Zeyad Elshakra, Head of UN-Habitat’s Office in Palestine.

The preparation of the report was made possible by the generous financial support from the Government of the Kingdom of Bahrain, and strong collaboration with the Palestinian Ministry of Local Government and the Municipal Development and Lending Fund.

Five die as cholera rocks IDP camp in Borno

admin
-
0
Five die as cholera rocks IDP camp in Borno

The World Health Organisation (WHO) and other partners are reportedly moving swiftly to help local health authorities contain a cholera outbreak in a camp for internally displaced people (IDPs) in north-eastern Nigeria.

WHO IDP camp
Internally Displaced Persons queuing up for water at Muna IDPs camp. Photo credit: WHO/CE.Onuekwe

A total of 69 cases including five deaths have been reported so far in the outbreak at Muna Garage, a camp on the outskirts of the Borno State capital, Maiduguri, which is home to 44,000 people displaced by conflict and famine. The state of Borno is said to be at the heart of a humanitarian crisis in the north-east of the country where almost seven million people need health assistance and 60% of health facilities are functioning partially or not at all.

Detecting and responding rapidly to suspected cases of cholera is vital to controlling outbreaks, which can spread rapidly in areas where access to safe water is limited, hygiene conditions are poor and populations are weakened by food shortages. Intense efforts by national and partner response teams in Borno State over the last year mean surveillance and monitoring capacity have been greatly strengthened, enabling early detection of this outbreak.

 

Public health response

The State Ministry of Health is leading partners including WHO, in the response to the outbreak in Muna Garage, which includes the establishment of a cholera treatment centre, increasing risk communications and assessing the need for an oral cholera vaccination campaign in the affected area.

The WHO has prepositioned Inter-agency Diarrheal Disease Kits across the state for immediate response to diarrhea and cholera outbreaks and has trained 56 health workers including doctors, nurses, laboratory technicians and pharmacists on cholera case management, and infection prevention and control (IPC). These health workers are boosting capacity to treat people with the disease in the affected camp and surrounding health facilities.

WHO-supported community outreach workers are conducting active case search in the camp to find and refer anyone suffering from the disease that has not been able to seek help at a health facility.

 

Risk communication

The most effective prevention measures against cholera are basic hygiene practices, including use of clean and safe water and proper sanitation. House-to-house visits are underway in the camp to sensitise people to the risk of cholera, teach them how to prevent and manage diarrhea at home, and educate them on the use of chloride tablets for household water treatment and safe water storage.

Sample collection, data management and trend analysis are being implemented by WHO surveillance teams to ensure that the response is not just keeping up with cases but is also tailored to prevent further spread.  Partners are also working to improve water and sanitation conditions in the camps.

Construction work on COP23 venue intensifies

admin
-
0
Construction work on COP23 venue intensifies

The construction of the provisional structures required to make sure that all 20,000 plus delegates and visitors to the UN Climate Change Conference (COP23) scheduled November 6 to 17, 2017 in Bonn, Germany can be accommodated started this month and appears to be progressing as planned. The German government is building an impressive array of temporary buildings which will complement the existing World Conference Centre Bonn. UNFCCC Newsroom reporters, Mariana Castano Cano and Monica Lafaire Mejia, on Thursday, August 31, 2017 went to see to how things are going

COP23 site
And aerial view of the construction site of the COP23 “Bonn Zone”

A significant part of the COP23 provisional structures are right now being built in Bonn’s Rheinaue Park, where citizens of Bonn – and UN staff – normally go to relax at the week-end. On week days, the park, which features scenic lakes and flower beds, is populated by cyclists as well as office workers having their lunch-breaks. The park is also home to many ducks and swans that don’t seem scared or even bothered by the frantic building activity going on around them.

“If the weather is warm, maybe they will stay for the conference,” a German government official jokingly says about the birds.

The conference will be presided over by the Government of Fiji and is being organised by the UNFCCC secretariat with the support of the Government of Germany, in close collaboration with the State of North Rhine-Westphalia and the City of Bonn.

German Environment Minister, Barbara Hendricks, and her Environment Ministry (BMUB) team were on location in the Rheinaue Park this week to inform citizens, listen to their views and respond to their concerns about the provisional structures.

Construction started on August 14 and is progressing remarkably fast, with some two-stories tents already topped with hard-plastic roofs in the form of pyramids.

In order to appreciate the sheer scale of the project and the materials involved, one just has to look at the thousands of wooden panels waiting to be installed as the flooring of the tents. This flooring will cover a surface of 50,000 square meters.

“At the moment there are just 200 people working here. But, over the next two months, there will be more than 2,000 workers on site, out of a total 6,000 people working on the project.

Construction is progressing as planned and we expect to finish on time, by the end of October,” says Mr. Franz Emde, BMUB Spokesperson.

Two different tent complexes are being built, one close to the UN Campus and to the World Conference Center Bonn in “Bula Zone”; and a second complex at the heart of the Rheinaue Park, the “Bonn Zone”.

This is part of the concept of “one conference, two zones”. The so-called “Bula Zone” is where talks between governments will take place, and the “Bonn” Zone will host hundreds of events showcasing climate action, including some media activities and the pavilions of national delegations.

Ensuring the sustainability of the conference is a priority for the organisers. “The whole UN Climate Conference is certified under Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS), a European certification system that takes into account the overall environmental footprint of the COP, from water to transportation and electrity,” Mr. Emde explains.

Preserving the natural environment of the Rheinaue Park and making sure Bonners and visitors can continue enjoying this green space is also a priority. Only a small part of the 160 hectares of the park will be used for the conference.

Even though the citizens who approached the German Environment Ministry staff did ask questions related to the construction or potential inconveniences they might experience during the two-weeks conference, most were more interested about learning how to be part of it.

The Ministry and the City of Bonn officials explained that there will be activities around the COP not only in the Bonn and Bula Zones – where the entrance will be limited to accredited participants – but that all around the city there will be events related to climate action, from scientific and cultural exhibitions to art and educational activities for all public, including youth.

Flooding: Benue to review master plan of Makurdi, others

admin
-
0
Flooding: Benue to review master plan of Makurdi, others

The Benue State House of Assembly on Thursday, August 30, 2017 directed the State Ministry of Lands and Survey to review the Master Plan for Makurdi as well as other urban centres in the state to forestall further violation of approved settlement patterns and checkmate incessant flooding.

Makurdi flood
Submerged part of BIPC Quarters, Makurdi

This followed the motion of urgent public importance moved by Mr Terkaa Ucha (Vandeikya-Tiev/PDP) during plenary who stressed the need for the government to undertake permanent measures to forestall flooding in urban centres in the state.

He said: “The non-implementation of a Master Plan for Makurdi, or any other urban centre in the state, makes officials of the Ministry of Lands and Survey and land speculators to indiscriminately allocate and sell lands for buildings, with people and institutions erecting structures on places such as water-sheds, water-ways and drainage-ways, thereby obstructing the free flow and safe flow of water.”

Seconding the motion, Mr Benjamin Nungwa (Kwande West/APC) stated that the motion is apt considering that the issue of flooding is critical, hence, it should be given due attention so that proper consideration and measures will be put in place to tackle the menace.

Also speaking, Chief Whip of the House, Mr Titus Uba (Vandeikya-Kyan/APC), who stated that the flood issue is natural due to climate change caused by the people’s ill activities, called for information on climate change to be disseminated across the state to help people change from carrying out activities capable of accelerating climate change.

Makurdi flood
Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State on a flood assessing tour of Makurdi

In his contribution, Mr Ianna Jato (Katsina-Ala East),who noted that the issue of flood is now a global phenomenon caused by torrential rainfall, said a rough estimate of about 90,000 persons have been displaced by the Makurdi floods, adding that public spirited individuals and other NGOs should come to the aid of the affected people to give them succour.

Mr Richard Ujege (Konshisha/APC) adduced the main problem of flooding in the Benue State capital to the uncompleted major crescent drainage that is to run from the River Benue through the town and back to the River, adding that, if completed, it would greatly ease the menace of flooding.

Speaking separately, Mr Egli Ahubi (Otukpo Akpa/PDP), Mr Chris Adaji (Ohimini/PDP), Mrs Ngohemba Agaigbe (Gboko East/APC), Barr Adam Okloho (Adoka Ogboju/APC) and Mr Terhemba Chabo (Gboko West/APC) sympathised with the affected people, calling on the Federal Government to lend a helping hand to the State Government to tackle the problem.

They noted that though it is a natural occurrence, improper planning and not taking the environment into cognisance especially with the disposal of refuse in drainage systems has not helped the situation.

Furthermore, the Assembly called on the State Urban Development Board to identify all buildings and structures that have been illegally erected on and across water-ways in all parts of the state for appropriate action.

The Assembly equally called on the Benue State Government to intimate the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and request same to urgently provide relief for victims of the current flooding in all parts of Benue State.

While symathising with the victims of the current flooding that is ravaging across the state, the Speaker, Mr Terkimbi Ikyange (Ushongo/APC), advised Benue people not to buy land and build on water-ways or flood-prone areas, as this will amount to waste of resources and expose them to danger in the long-run.

By Damian Daga, Makurdi

59 nations get $10m under GCF’s Readiness Programme

admin
-
0
59 nations get $10m under GCF’s Readiness Programme

More than $10 million to date has been disbursed through the Green Climate Fund’s (GCF) Readiness Programme, a flagship funding programme that provides resources to enhance country ownership and access to the Fund.

howard-bamsey
Howard Bamsey, Executive Director of the Green Climate Fund (GCF)

The GCF Readiness Programme portfolio currently consists of 119 approved proposals for capacity building activities in some 88 developing countries valued over $39 million. Of this amount, $10 million has been disbursed to 72 different Readiness initiatives in 59 developing countries, including 44 small island developing states, least developed countries and African countries – societies particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change.

Through the Readiness Programme, GCF provides resources for strengthening the institutional capacities of National Designated Authorities (NDAs) or focal points and Direct Access Entities to effectively engage with the Fund. It also assists countries in undertaking adaptation planning and developing programming frameworks to build out their long-term climate action agendas with GCF.

The Fund’s governing body has released, to date, $80 million in initial resources for Readiness activities, which GCF can provide to recipients in the form of grants or technical assistance.

Countries have partnered with several national, regional and international organizations to serve as their ‘delivery partners’ to access the GCF’s Readiness resources. These organisations work directly with countries to support or execute the activities approved under a Readiness grant, providing services such as development of readiness request proposals; implementation and supervision; fiduciary management; progress reporting; and project completion and evaluation.

“The GCF Board set 2017 as a year of implementation for the Fund, and making Readiness resources available to countries is a priority for the Secretariat,” said GCF Executive Director, Howard Bamsey. “With well over $10 million now disbursed, we are beginning to see the impact of the programme as countries start to report on how Readiness resources received are helping to structure and plan their engagement with GCF.”

With a significant number of activities under implementation, the GCF Secretariat is working to capture early Readiness results countries are sharing. This includes the development of country programmes in Antigua and Barbuda and the Federated States of Micronesia, a stakeholder communication strategy in Guyana, and a climate-information services (CIS) scoping exercise in Vanuatu, which was used to inform the design of a $26.6 million CIS project that the GCF Board approved for Vanuatu in December 2016.

Readiness resources are also being used by organisations interested in becoming accredited to the Fund through its direct access modality. With the support of the Readiness Programme, the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) and the Micronesia Conservation Trust were accredited to the GCF at the 15th meeting and 17th meeting of the GCF Board, respectively. Technical assistance provided to the organisations helped identify areas where improvements were needed to meet the Fund’s accreditation requirements, and to formulate actions plans to address them.

Rooftop solar can bridge India’s gap in rural health services, says report

admin
-
0
Rooftop solar can bridge India’s gap in rural health services, says report

Solar powered primary healthcare centres (PHCs) in Chhattisgarh admitted over 50% more patients and conducted almost twice the number of child deliveries in a month compared to power-deficit PHCs without a solar system, according to study released on Thursday, August 31, 2017 by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) in India.

ACF
Solar panel

The first-of-its-kind independent study, funded by Oxfam India, evaluates the role of electricity access on health outcomes in rural Chhattisgarh, a heavily forested state in central India. The study finds that solar powered PHCs could significantly improve in-patient services, out-patient services, emergency care, delivery services, and laboratory services in rural India. The study also establishes a strong correlation between sustainable development goals, focusing on good health and well-being (Goal 3), and focusing on affordable and clean energy (Goal 7).

The CEEW study is based on an evaluation of 147 PHCs, including 83 having solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, across 15 districts in Chhattisgarh. Despite being a power surplus state, one-third of the PHCs in Chhattisgarh are either un-electrified or without regular power supply. About 90% of PHCs reported power cuts during peak operating hours. One-third of the PHCs experienced power cuts in the evening. More than 21% of the PHCs reported damage of medical equipment due to voltage fluctuations.

Between 2012 and 2016, the Chhattisgarh State Renewable Energy Development Agency (CREDA) installed 2 kWp off-grid solar PV rooftop systems across 570 PHCs in the state. CEEW analysis found that a solar PV system provides three to four hours of backup electricity for a PHC. Also, peak generation from solar PV systems coincides with peak load times for PHCs, 12pm to 4pm, making solar not simply an effective backup generation system but also a potential primary mode of power supply. Higher comfort due to better lighting and running fans in the solar PHCs increased patients’ willingness to get admitted.

Dr Arunabha Ghosh, CEO, CEEW, said, “Scaling solar systems across PHCs is in India’s interest as it meets the targets of the National Solar Mission as well as the National Health Mission. In Chhattisgarh, CEEW found that solar provided a reliable power backup to PHCs, especially during peak load hours and after sundown. While installing solar systems, priority should be given to power-deficit PHCs, especially those that have been designated to provide 24×7 services. Solar systems for PHCs must also be tailored to local needs and considerations. Taking a cue from CREDA, other states must also focus on creating robust operations and maintenance services for solar powered PHCs.”

In Chhattisgarh, 90% of the solar powered PHCs reported cost savings from using solar PV systems over diesel generators. Diesel power costs INR 24-26 per kWh while solar plus battery costs around INR 12-14 per kWh.

The ability of solar powered PHCs to operate cold chain, storing vaccines and drugs, and newborn care equipment also improved significantly in Chhattisgarh. Almost one-fourth of power-deficit PHCs currently rely exclusively on solar as a backup to run cold chain equipment. Ensuring continuous electricity supply to cold chains at PHCs is critical, especially in rural Chhattisgarh, where the infant mortality rate (43) is higher than the average for rural India (41).

Providing solar (5 kW systems) to all PHCs across India could contribute to about 160 MW of the rooftop target. If solar were to be extended to cover Sub-Centres (1 kW systems) and Community Health Centres (8 kW systems), the total potential would be about 415 MW.

According to the Rural Health Statistics 2016, India has about 25,000 PHCs. Of the functional PHCs in India, 4.6% are unelectrified, affecting over 38 million rural households depending on these healthcare facilities. Further, the District Level Household and Facility Survey – 4 (DLHS-4) data indicate that one out of every two PHCs in the country suffers from unreliable power supply or has no electricity access at all. Unreliable and poor-quality electricity supply limits diagnostic and treatment services, reduces hours of operation to daytime, and forces patients to travel a longer distance in search of better healthcare.

1...1,7931,7941,795...2,224Page 1,794 of 2,224

TV Report

Archives

2025 EnviroNews Nigeria. All Rights Reserved.

×