President Bola Tinubu is on a mission to transform satellite towns in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to cities, says FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.
Nyesom Wike,
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria
Wike, who stated this during the inauguration of the construction of Kabusa to Takushara Road in Abuja on Tuesday, December 3, 2024, added that the Tinubu administration had taken governance to the grassroots of Abuja.
He said that the Tinubu administration was committed to bringing development and governance to rural communities across the FCT.
“One of the promises Tinubu made is that look, all people in satellite towns, do not think that the government is about cities, we will also turn satellite towns to cities.
“One of the things to do, is to construct roads for you, and I can assure you, it is not about flagging up road projects, in the next six to seven months, I want to assure you we are going to commission this project.
“For the first time roads were being constructed in rural areas and are being fitted with streetlights.
“It has never happened before and I want to assure you that the government of President Tinubu will not fail you,” Wike said.
He added that the Kabusa to Takushara Road would be fitted with streetlights to light up the road at night, making life a bit more comfortable like those in the cities.
The minister thanked the residents of Kabusa for believing in Tinubu’s administration and assured them that the funds needed to complete the project had been made available.
Wike, who called for the continued support of the residents, disclosed that another contract would be awarded on Wednesday for the construction of Kabusa to Ketti road as part of the Tinubu rural transformation agenda.
“What we are doing today is what the Tinubu Renewed Hope Agenda is all about – give hope back to our people.
“I am happy that if not for the government of Tinubu, I wouldn’t have known Kabusa and Takushara,” he said.
Wike urged the contractor to employ the locals to enable them to feed their families.
Earlier, Mr Richard Dauda, Director Engineering Services, Federal Capital Development Authority, said that the project was in line with the FCT Administration mandate to provide infrastructure and services to the entire territory.
Dauda explained that the 9.8-kilometre road project, a 7-metre two lane carriageway with shoulders and streetlight, was awarded to Allied Technical and Construction Company Ltd, and expected to be completed in six months.
He explained that the road would connect several communities namely Kabusa, Teta, Tasha, Sauka and Takushara and enhance socio-economic activities in the area.
“The road, when completed, will provide a safe and comfortable road for both vehicles and pedestrians and allow free movement of agricultural products from the hinterland into the city.
“The project will also create direct and indirect jobs and provide quick and timely response to emergencies and quick access to health services,” he said.
The Kabusa to Takushara Road is the third road to be constructed by the Wike-led FCT Administration.
Across Africa, the land we stand on and the air we breathe are both rapidly being eroded. From the arid parts of the Sahel to bustling urban centres, air pollution and land degradation are wreaking havoc on multiple fronts. Africans pay for them in income, food security, climate stability and public health.
L-R: Johan Rockström, Director, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research; Osama Ibrahim Faqeeha, COP16 Presidency; Ibrahim Thiaw, Executive Secretary, UNCCD; Xenya Scanlon; and Yazan Neme, UNCCD Secretariat, addressing a press confrence at COP16. Photo credit: IISD/ENB | Anastasia Rodopoulou
Robust national and regional strategies are key, ideally along with global targets. The continent’s leaders have an opportunity to set these at the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) COP16 holding in Riyadh.
Air pollution ranks among the leading environmental health risks globally and is responsible for one in nine deaths globally. In Africa, this translates to over 400,000 premature deaths annually, often linked to dust storms caused by land degradation, desertification and deforestation. Meanwhile, two-thirds of the African continent is desert or drylands, further worsening air quality and reducing agricultural productivity, affecting both urban centers and rural and cross-border area.
Degraded lands release dust and pollutants that worsen air quality, while air pollution accelerates soil degradation and desertification. A unified approach to bridge the gap between sustainable land management and effective air quality governance can break this vicious cycle and enhance the resilience of African populations.
Deforestation, agricultural emissions, and dust from degraded lands are some of the sources of air pollution that impact entire regions. The transboundary nature of air pollution further complicates mitigation efforts, as pollutants move across borders, affecting countries beyond their source. Discussions at the recent 10th Special Sessionof the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) emphasised the need for coordinated action to mitigate these impacts, underscoring that countries cannot effectively tackle these problems alone.
The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) presented a 2023 Guide on Ambient Air Quality Legislation to support countries aiming to strengthen or develop national air quality legislation and governance frameworks. To address immediate pollution sources, but also mitigate long-term impacts such as land degradation, the Guide emphasises the importance of robust governance systems, cross-sector collaboration, monitoring systems, and actionable and enforceable standards on air quality.
UNEP’s efforts, through the Montevideo Environmental Law Programme, to promote air quality legislation align closely with the broader environmental goals set for UNCCD COP16 to combat desertification and promote sustainable land management. By incorporating air quality provisions that regulate emissions from unsustainable agricultural practices and deforestation into domestic legislation, African countries can enhance their holistic environmental governance.
Robust national air quality legislation enforces strict emission controls, promotes sustainable land use practices, and invests in monitoring systems. To ensure these laws are effectively implemented, building institutional capacity is essential. Furthermore, because pollutants transcend political boundaries, cross-border agreements and regional collaboration are essential to addressing transboundary pollution.
Cote d’Ivoire is one of the first African countries to have begun working with UNEP to align domestic legislation and regulation on air quality with global best practices. This helps ensure national policies are well designed and can be effectively implemented.
Integrating robust air quality governance frameworks into national and regional policies offers a pathway to reducing pollution and addressing its impact on land and livelihoods. This will achieve much of what is needed to break the cycle where degraded lands contribute to poor air quality, which in turn drives further degradation.
The time for decisive action is now. As the 10th AMCEN Special Session set the stage for discussions at the UNCCD COP16 in Riyad, air quality governance should be prioritised in environmental policy. This integrated approach requires commitment, resources, and international cooperation. These will hugely pay off countries in public health, economic growth, and help build a resilient future for all, across Africa.
By Patricia Kameri-Mbote, Director of the Law Division, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
Negotiations on a global drought regime are set to dominate the 16th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP16) as 197 Parties gather to address one of the world’s deadliest and costliest disasters. The conference opened on Monday, December 2, 2024, with major political and financial commitments to strengthen drought resilience worldwide.
Leaders from different countries gather for a UNCCD family photo. Photo credit: IISD/ENB | Anastasia Rodopoulou
Drought, intensified by climate change and unsustainable land practices, has surged by nearly 30 per cent in frequency and intensity since 2000, threatening agriculture, water security, and the livelihoods of 1.8 billion people, with the poorest nations bearing the brunt.
In his opening remarks, Ibrahim Thiaw, UNCCD Executive Secretary, said: “We are all gathered here to make COP16 a historic moment. The world expects Parties to adopt a bold decision that can help turn the tide on the most pervasive and the most disruptive environmental disaster: drought.”
In a video message to delegates at UNCCD COP16 in Riyadh, United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, Amina J. Mohammed, emphasised the growing challenges posed by land degradation and drought.
“Never before have so many people been affected by land degradation and drought. 40 per cent of fertile land is now degraded. And the results are dire: rising inequalities, people hungry, people displaced. Livelihoods and businesses threatened, environments destroyed, and the foundation of peace, stability and security rocked. On the basis of current trends, by 2050, three in four people, will be affected by drought worldwide. But you are in Riyadh to turn the tide,” she said.
Newly elected COP16 President Abdulrahman Alfadley, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture, echoed these concerns, noting that degraded land already affects three billion people globally and will “increase levels of migration, stability, and insecurity among many communities.”
COP16 will focus on establishing the first global regime for drought resilience, addressing the systemic risks of drought highlighted in multiple articles of the UNCCD and decisions from the past seven COPs.
Governments are expected to negotiate commitments to enhance resilience at all levels, building on recommendations from the Intergovernmental Working Group on Drought established at COP15.
Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership Secures $2.15bn in Commitments
The Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership, announced on Tuesday by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as UNCCD COP16 host, will leverage public and private finance to support 80 of the most vulnerable and drought-hit countries around the world.
An initial $2.15 billion have been pledged towards the Riyadh Partnership by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ($150 million), the Islamic Development Bank ($1 billion) and the OPEC Fund for International Development ($1 billion). The Arab Coordination Group, which encompasses 10 institutions headquartered in five countries, is expected announce its pledge on day two of COP16.
“The Riyadh Drought Resilience Partnership will serve as a global facilitator for drought resilience, promoting the shift from reactive relief response to proactive preparedness. We also seek to amplify global resources to save lives and livelihoods around the world,” said Dr Osama Faqeeha, Deputy Minister for Environment, Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture of Saudia Arabia and Advisor to the UNCCD COP16 Presidency.
The Partnership will work to source additional funding through voluntary contributions by countries, financial institutions, and philanthropic organisations, among others. The financial and in-kind contributions help least developed countries (LDCs) and lower middle-income countries to unlock access to additional financing through blended financing such as concessional loans, commercial loans, equity participation, savings, insurance and other financial schemes.
State Secretary of Environment of Spain, Hugo Morán, said: “For Spain and Senegal, the co-chairs the International Drought Resilience Alliance (IDRA), promoting international cooperation is a key priority. We are working very hard to mobilise political momentum and resources for drought resilience all over the world. However, much remains to be done. This is why we welcome the Riyadh Partnership and its potential to mobilize additional resources for drought resilience with a focus on the least developed countries and the lower middle-income countries. We look forward to collaborating with Saudi Arabia and the UNCCD Secretariat to leverage synergies between IDRA and this new partnership.”
Negotiations on drought underway
A major focus of COP16 will be negotiations on a future global regime on drought resilience, the first of its kind. Multiple articles of the Convention text refer to drought and the last seven UNCCD COPs also have decisions related to drought.
The Drought Resilience + 10 Conference, held in Geneva from September 30 to October 2, 2024, concluded that “the increasingly systemic nature of drought requires new approaches, policy instruments and the operationalisation of national drought plans along the lines of proactive and integrated drought management.”
It is expected that the negotiations among governments, culminating at UNCCD COP16, will result in robust commitments to strengthen community, national and international resilience to anticipate, respond to and recover from the impacts of impending or ongoing droughts, building on the policy options presented by the Intergovernmental Working Group on Drought established at COP15.
“After 30 years of deliberations, including six consecutive years of intergovernmental working groups, all eyes are on us. This is a lot of pressure, but we must seize this pivotal moment in Riyadh. Together, we can reverse the trends of land degradation and build a more resilient world to drought,” said UNCCD’s Thiaw.
World Drought Atlas and International Drought Resilience Observatory
Amid escalating global drought crises, the UNCCD, in collaboration with the European Commission Joint Research Centre (JRC) and partners, launched the World Drought Atlas, highlighting the systemic risks of drought across critical sectors like energy, agriculture, river transport and trade, using maps, infographics and case studies to showcase its cascading impacts on inequality, conflict and public health.
In addition, the International Drought Resilience Alliance (IDRA) introduced the prototype International Drought Resilience Observatory (IDRO) — an AI-powered global platform designed to empower diverse stakeholders, from policymakers to communities, with actionable insights for building drought resilience. The full version of IDRO will debut at UNCCD COP17 in Mongolia in 2026, marking a shift towards proactive drought management worldwide.
Anna Dyson, Founding Director of Yale Centre for Ecosystems + Architecture, explained: “Although a wealth of knowledge is emerging on drought resilience globally, it tends to be scattered and difficult to access. The Observatory will enable quick access to diverse expertise and tools needed to anticipate, prepare for, and adapt to drought challenges. Connecting insights with powerful analytics, it delivers timely, actionable information while addressing critical gaps in risk and adaptive strategies.”
Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has called on stakeholders to leverage opportunities presented by waste materials for wealth creation.
Delegates at the Lagos Waste Forum
Sanwo-Olu made the call at the 5th edition of the Lagos Waste Forum on Monday, December 2, 2024, in Lagos.
The theme of the forum was “Unlocking Nigeria’s Green Potential: Waste Reduction, Recycling, and Circular Economy Pathways to Jobs, Business, and Sustainability”.
Represented by his Special Adviser on Environment, Mr Rotimi Akodu, Sanwo-Olu underscored the importance of addressing the state’s waste challenges.
According to him, there should be a paradigm shift in the way waste is seen by identifying them as opportunities for innovation and economic growth.
“With a population exceeding 20 million, Lagos generates over 13,000 metric tons of waste daily.
“However, we see this challenge as an opportunity to innovate, create jobs, build businesses, and promote sustainability. The green economy is a goldmine waiting to be unlocked,” Sanwo-Olu said.
He said that Lagos was intentional in taking bold steps to lead in waste management by promoting recycling hubs, launching public awareness campaigns, and exploring advanced technologies such as waste-to-energy conversion.
“Through the efforts of the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) and strategic partnerships, we are maximising resource recovery to reduce the burden on landfills.
“This not only supports our sustainability goals but also creates jobs, especially for our youths,” Sanwo-Olu said.
Also speaking, the Managing Director/CEO of LAWMA, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, said that waste was not merely a challenge but an opportunity to be harnessed for economic and environmental benefits.
“LAWMA is committed to innovation and collaboration, as demonstrated by our partnership with Ghana’s Jospong Group to establish Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs).
“These integrated systems will prioritise recycling, composting, and reuse, significantly reducing waste sent to landfills,” Gbadegesin said.
He said that LAWMA’s dedication to initiatives like Adopt-A-Bin, introduction of smart bins, and public-private partnerships aligned with the principles of a circular economy.
“Our efforts aim to transform waste into wealth by creating economic opportunities, reducing pollution, and fostering environmental sustainability.
“As we convene today, I challenge every stakeholder here to design actionable plans that will propel Lagos and Nigeria toward a sustainable and prosperous future,” Gbadegesin said.
Earlier in his welcome address, Ambassador Obuesi Phillips, President of the Lagos Waste Forum, commended the collaborative efforts of government agencies, private sector operators, and civil society organisations.
Phillips said that the synergy had become hallmarks of the forum since its inception in 2018.
He added that the forum remained a flagship event on Lagos environmental calendar, fostering partnerships and actionable solutions for sustainable waste management.
Also Mrs Amaka Onyemelukwe, Senior Director of Public Affairs, Communications and Sustainability at Coca-Cola Company, in her goodwill message, emphasised Coca-Cola’s commitment to building a better tomorrow through impactful actions.
Onyemelukwe reiterated the company’s dedication to fostering positive change within communities, ecosystems, and economies in Lagos and across Nigeria.
She reiterated Coca-Cola’s determination to ensure all bottles and cans produced were recycled and reused, reflecting its goal of leaving a lasting, positive footprint on the world.
The event featured industry leaders and stakeholders, including Dr. Babatunde Ajayi, General Manager LASEPA; Mr. Stephen Agugua, ILO Coordinator for Just Transition and Green Jobs; and Mr. Kunle Adebiyi, Executive Director of LAWMA.
Others included Dr Oluyomi Banjo, National Programmes Coordinator at UNIDO; and Mrs. Oluchi Odimko, Head of Sectoral and Regulatory Affairs at the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria.
The event also had school children and various stakeholders in the waste value chain in Lagos State.
UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, has said that ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 is within reach, but only if global leaders commit to dismantling barriers to healthcare and upholding human rights.
UN Secretary-General, António Guterres
Guterres, in a statement, urged the leaders to take the right path to end the scourge.
“Every 25 seconds, someone in the world is infected with HIV.
“One-quarter of people living with HIV – more than nine million people – lack access to lifesaving treatment,” Guterres said in a message to mark World AIDS Day.
He, however, called for a rights-based approach to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention and treatment, highlighting the harmful effects of discriminatory laws and practices that stigmatised women, girls, and minorities.
“The fight against AIDS can be won,” Guterres stressed, “If leaders take a rights-based approach to ensure that everyone – especially the most vulnerable – can get the services they need without fear.”
“We will overcome AIDS if the rights of everyone, everywhere, are protected. I call on all leaders to heed this year’s theme and take the ‘rights’ path,” he said.
UNAIDS, the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS, reinforced the call, urging governments to “take the rights path to end AIDS.”
Winnie Byanyima, UNAIDS Executive Director, stressed the importance of removing systemic barriers to healthcare.
“To protect everyone’s health, we need to protect everyone’s rights,” she said.
Its World AIDS Day report showed that respecting and protecting human rights can help ensure equitable access to HIV services and prevent new infections.
It also revealed how gaps in realisation of human rights, and abuses and violations obstruct the end of the AIDS pandemic.
The UNAIDS report underscores that progress will stall without a human rights-based approach. In 2023, 1.3 million people were newly infected with HIV globally, three times the target of no more than 370,000 annual infections set for 2025.
In addition, 63 countries still criminalise LGBTQ+ people, while widespread gender-based violence and limited educational opportunities for women and girls leave them particularly vulnerable.
In 2023, they accounted for 62 per cent of new HIV infections in sub-Saharan Africa. Worse still, nine out of ten new infections among 15 to 19-year-olds are among girls, reflecting systemic gender inequalities, according to UNICEF.
The disparity is also evident in access to treatment, including for boys and young men.
While 77 per cent of adults living with HIV have access to antiretroviral therapy (ART), only 57 per cent of children aged 0 to 14, and 65 per cent of adolescents aged 15 to 19 do.
“Children and adolescents are not fully reaping the benefits of scaled up access to treatment and prevention services,” Anurita Bains, UNICEF Associate Director of HIV/AIDS, said.
“Children living with HIV must be prioritised when it comes to investing resources and efforts to scale up treatment for all, this includes the expansion of innovative testing technologies,” she said.
The Commanding Officer, Forward Operating Base (FOB), Escravos, Capt. Ikenna Okoloagu, has charged naval personnel to remain steadfast in the fight against crude oil theft and other illegalities in the maritime space.
Naval personnel of the Forward Operating Base (FOB), Escravos on their quarterly Route March exercise
Okoloagu gave the advice on Monday, December 2, 2024, shortly after the FOB’s 4th Quarters Route March in Escravos, Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State.
Addressing the personnel, Okoloagu reminded them that the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Adm. Emmanuel Ogalla, had remained committed to their welfare.
He, therefore, urged them to be resolute in the discharge of their duties.
The commanding officer maintained that the Nigerian Navy had zero tolerance for indiscipline as well as corrupt practices.
Speaking on the route march, Okoloagu said that the exercise involved 10 kilometres brisk walk.
Okoloagu, who led other senior and junior officers in the exercise, added that it was aimed at promoting physical fitness and mental well-being of the personnel.
“The essence of the exercise is to ensure officers and ratings are at all time physically fit for the tasks assigned to them.
“The exercise is aimed at promoting physical fitness and mental well-being of it’s personnel.
“It is also aimed at promoting comradeship and for the populace to know that they have a Navy that is physically fit to carryout their assignment,” he said.
Okoloagu, however, expressed satisfaction with the turnout of personnel in the exercise that lasted for about two and half hours.
The Port Harcourt refinery has resumed full operations after a brief “scaling down”, Mr Ibrahim Onoja, the company’s Managing Director, has said.
Port Harcourt Refinery
Addressing newsmen after a facility tour of the refinery on Sunday night, Onoja said the facility had resued distribution of products, including Premium Motor Spirit, kerosene, and diesel.
“The refining plant has undergone extensive upgrades to enhance efficiency and reliability which had also impacted on production capacity.
”We replaced most of the equipment including pumps installation and cables.
“The plant is running and we are trucking out our products,” he said.
Also speaking, Mr. Moyi Maidunama, the Director of Operations of the Nigeria Pipeline Storage Company (NPSC) Ltd, acknowledged that there was a temporary reduction in production.
He, however, explained that the reduction was to help address some technical issues aimed at improving the delivery capacity of the facility.
”We are managing the process with the number of trucks available today, using three loading arms for evacuation, this would be resolved soon.
”Our operations were not totally halted but reduced due to some of the improvements that we needed to make in terms of getting more loading arms operational.
”We have been evacuating refined petroleum products from the refinery since yesterday and its obviously going to be a continuous process,” he said.
Mr Worlu Joel, the terminal manager, also confirmed the efficiency of the refinery, adding that it had began loading of Premium Motor Spirit, kerosene and diesel.
According to him, the deport which has eleven functional loading bays currently uses only three due to its high efficiency.
He said that each of the bay evacuates as much as three trucks in 15 minutes.
He however, expressed worries over slow turn out of tanker drivers
“We have surplus product. Let us say we have up to 100 trucks today, we will evacuate them in five hours, it’s no longer our problem, it’s the tanker drivers,” he said.
On Nov. 26, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) said the Port Harcourt refinery had begun production after a long period of rehabilitation.
It said the refinery began truck loading of petroleum products.
The Port Harcourt Refineries comprise two units, with the old plant having a refining capacity of 60,000 barrels per day (bpd) and the new plant 150,000 bpd, both summing up to 210,000 bpd.
The refinery has not operated maximally for over two decades.
It was shut down in March 2019 for the first phase of repair works after the government secured the service of Italy’s Maire Tecnimont to handle the review of the refinery complex, with oil major Eni appointed technical adviser.
In 2021, NNPC Ltd said repairs had started at the refinery after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved $1.5 billion for the project.
On Dec. 21, 2023, the Nigerian government announced the mechanical completion and the flare start-off of the refinery.
Former House of Representatives member, Chief Sam Oniugbo, says no country has immunity from climate change impact hence all hands should be on deck to address and promote environment-friendly actions.
Rep. Sam Onuigbo
Onuigbo sponsored the Climate Change Act in the 9th National Assembly. It provides the legal and administrative framework for Nigeria’s climate change policies and actions.
He said in Abuja on Monday, December 2, 2024, that it was incorrect for leaders of any country to assume they had little or no role to play in the global efforts to mitigate the impact of climate change.
Onuigbo said it was unfortunate that developing nations like Nigeria contributes little to climate change, they bore the larger chunk of climate change impact on the environment.
He said such could be felt in the areas of draught and famine, deforestation and desert encroachment, landslides and erosion menace.
Onuigbo urged developed countries to demonstrate more support for developing nations who now bear the brunt of their environment unfriendly acts in past.
He said Africa brings a lot of variables to the climate change negotiation table, including a young and vibrant population with ideas on environment-friendly initiatives, critical minerals required in the global energy transition, among others.
He said with more support from developing countries, Africa could be turned into a green manufacturing hub for the good of the global environment.
Speaking on the just-concluded COP29 in which he was a participant, Onuigbo said it was an opportunity for experts and world leaders to review climate change actions and implementation of the resolutions of COP28.
The climate change advocate said it was a window for Africa to push its case for climate change mitigation and support initiatives as a bloc rather than as individual countries.
He said it was a chance for Africa to speak as a united body, which made it to negotiate from the position of strength.
Onuigbo said areas covered included transition from fossil fuel to sustainable energies and financing climate change initiatives.
Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted sunshine and haziness from Monday, December 2 to Wednesday, December 4, 2024, across the country.
Low visibility caused by dust haze
NiMet’s weather outlook released on Sunday, December 1, in Abuja envisaged dust haze on Monday in the northern region with good visibility over the region throughout the forecast period.
“In the North Central region, dust haze with good visibility is anticipated over the region throughout the forecast period.
“In the southern region, dust haze with good visibility is anticipated over the inland states of the South, while sunny skies with a hazy atmosphere anticipated along coastal areas during the morning hours.
“Later in the day, isolated thunderstorms are expected over parts of Bayelsa, Cross River, Rivers and Akwa Ibom,” it said.
The agency predicted sunny skies on Thursday with a hazy atmosphere over the region throughout the forecast period.
According to NiMet, in the North Central region, dust haze with good visibility is anticipated over the region throughout the forecast period.
“In the southern region, sunny skies with a hazy atmosphere anticipated over the inland States of the South.
“Sunny skies with few patches of clouds are anticipated along coastal areas with prospects of thunderstorms with light rains over parts of Edo, Ogun, Ondo, Lagos, Delta, Rivers, Cross River and Akwa Ibom states in the afternoon/evening,” it said.
It envisaged sunny skies in the northern region on Wednesday with hazy atmosphere over the region throughout the forecast period.
The agency forecast dust haze in North Central region with good visibility over the region throughout the forecast period.
According to NiMet, in the southern region, sunny skies with hazy atmosphere are anticipated over the inland states of the South.
It anticipated sunny skies with a few patches of clouds along coastal areas with chances of thunderstorms with light rains over parts of Ondo, Bayelsa and Delta states.
“Dust particles are in suspension, the public should take necessary precaution. People with asthmatic health condition and other respiratory issues should be cautious of the present weather condition.
“Strong winds may precede the rains in areas where thunderstorms are likely to occur, public should take adequate precaution.
“Adhere to safety advisories issued by relevant authorities. Airline operators are advised to get airport-specific weather reports (flight documentation) from NiMet for effective planning in their operations,” it said.
According to it, residents are advised to stay informed through weather updates from NiMet.
The agency urged the public to visit its website www.nimet.gov.ng for further information.
The latest round of negotiations for a Global Plastics Treaty (INC5) in Busan, South Korea, intended to mark the culmination of two years of deliberations, ended with critical issues still unresolved in the final hours, with countries now having to return to the negotiating table in 2025.
Delegates gather for the closing plenary. Photo credit: IISD/ENB – Kiara Worth
The talks stalled as fossil fuel-producing nations tried to weaken the treaty, pushing for a focus on waste management and circular economy while avoiding binding measures on plastic production. However, hope remains as the majority of countries united around a bold vision for a treaty tackling plastic pollution at its root – limiting production, supply, and hazardous chemicals. Momentum is growing for real solutions.
99% of plastics are made from chemicals derived from fossil fuels. As pressure increases on the fossil fuel industry to phase out production of coal, oil and gas in response to the global climate crisis, some countries are looking to the plastics industry as an economic outlet for the fossil fuels they produce.
Yet, continued plastic production will not only accelerate biodiversity loss and ecosystem destruction but also jeopardise food and water safety while posing significant risks to human health. Without binding agreements to reduce the supply of the fossil fueled-building blocks of plastics – known as primary plastic polymers or PPPs – any treaty will fall short of creating the systemic change needed to protect communities, biodiversity, and the planet.
Rebecca Byrnes, Legal Director for the Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative, said:“The plastics crisis is inseparable from the fossil fuel crisis, and half-measures are not acceptable. Bold, systemic action is needed to prevent the fossil fuel industry from derailing global efforts to protect people and the planet. It’s critical that countries agree to reduce the supply of the primary building blocks of plastics.
“The Plastics Treaty must not be limited only to mopping up the mess of the plastics industry but must tackle the problem at its source. It can be complemented by a comprehensive Fossil Fuel Treaty that would hold nations accountable for their shared responsibility to protect vulnerable communities disproportionately impacted by both the plastics and climate crises – two sides of the same fossil fuel coin.
“The reluctance of some fossil fuel and plastics-producing countries to curb plastics production mirrors their obstruction in climate talks, underscoring the urgent need for a new binding framework that tackles the root cause of these twin crises. A Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty could complement the Plastics Treaty and the UNFCCC by providing an overarching framework for the phase out of all fossil fuels.
“It would also help countries whose economies are dependent on fossil fuels to find alternative development pathways so that they are able to prosper without relying on the fossil fuel industry or its interconnected industries – plastics and petrochemicals. Such a Treaty could help break the deadlock in future negotiations under the Plastics Treaty and UNFCCC by setting a legal norm focused on the equitable phase out and just transition from fossil fuels and allow countries to negotiate without being encumbered by a dependence on fossil fuels in other fora.”
