It is no longer news that Leicester City Football Club of England has parted ways with its manager, Claudio Ranieri. It happened on the night of Thursday, February 23 2017, some nine months after leading the team to the Premier League title.
Appointed City manager in July 2015, Ranieri led the Foxes to the greatest triumph in the club’s 133-year history last season.
The Foxes are one point above the relegation zone with 13 matches left.
What is news is that some managers have shown interest in the plum job, immediately Leicester City vice-chairman, Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha, made the announcement. Before the Foxes sacked Ranieri, their searchlight was on ex-Manchester City manager, Roberto Mancini, an Italian just like Ranieri.
Mancini led Manchester City to the Premiership title in 2012 but left a year later after defeat to Wigan Athletic in the FA Cup final and failure to defend the crown. He has since managed Galatasaray and Inter Milan without standout success.
If appointed, Mancini’s first task will be hauling Leicester City away from trouble, although he has a two-to-one odd chance.
Other managers that may be favored are Guus Hiddink, the former Chelsea gaffe, and Nigel Pearson, who was also sacked by Leicester City in June 2015.
Pearson has an eight-to-one odd chance of picking the job while Hiddink is 10-to-one.
Although the sacking of Claudio Ranieri is considered the most shocking decision in the last 10 years of football, one reason advanced for the sack was that of his bewildered tactics and team selection, translating to a somewhat feeble title defence.
Mancini on Friday expressed sympathy for Ranieri’s sacking.
“I am sorry for my friend #Ranieri. He will remain in the history of @LCFC, in the heart of #Leicester fans and all football lovers,” Mancini tweeted.
Leicester assistant manager Craig Shakespeare and Mike Stowell will take interim charge ahead of Monday’s crucial match against Liverpool.
Acting President of Nigeria, Yemi Osinbajo, was special guest at the daylong forum in Lagos on Thursday, February 23 2017 when stakeholders gathered to explore innovative financial instruments for environmental projects to address climate change.
The “Green bonds capital market and investors conference”, held courtesy of the Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Finance and the Debt Management Office (DMO), had “Green bonds: Investing in Nigeria’s sustainable development” as its theme.
Acting President, Yomi Osinbajo, speaking at the conference. He says private sector investment will increase the Green Bonds initiativeEnvironment Minister, Amina Mohammed, addressing the gatheringBabatunde Fashola, Minister of Power, Works and HousingLagos State Commissioner of Finance, Mustapha Akinkunmi, says the state is ready to be part of the Green Bonds initiative, and that Lagos is also working on different solutions on the environmentCourtney Lowrance of Citi New York will like to see more banks in Nigeria to start appreciating the Green Bonds for Sustainable Development
Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, in Lagos on Thursday, February 23 2017 said that the Federal Government was making arrangements to inaugurate the first African Sovereign Green Bond to address climate change and environmental projects.
Chief executive officer of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, Oscar Onyema (left), discussing with Nigeria’s acting president, Yemi Osinbajo, at Green Bonds Capital Market and Investors Conference in Lagos on Thursday, February 23, 2016.
Osinbajo made the submission at the Green Bonds Capital Market and Investors Conference organised by the Federal Ministry of Environment and the Debt Management Office (DMO) at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) office on the Lagos Island.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Bonds are debt instruments issued by a government or a company which represent a fixed sum of money that was borrowed. They are debt instruments tied to environmental projects to address climate change.
He said that the Federal Government, under the Green Bonds initiative, would give N20 billion under the first tranche before the end of the first quarter.
Osinbajo, who described the initiative as a new addition to the market funding portfolio, stated that the proceeds would be used to fight climate change.
He said that climate change had led to more natural disasters, thereby impacting negatively on food, water and energy supply.
The acting President said that the initiative would also provide an opportunity to deepen the capital market as well as tackle poverty.
According to Osinbajo, the bond issuance will support the Federal Government’s shift to non-oil base assets for project financing for economic growth and development.
He said that the proceeds of the bonds would be used for environmental projects such as renewable energy micro-utilities in three communities estimated at N10 billion. Besides, he said it would as well provide an average of 33KW of power through solar technology.
Osinbajo noted that power had posed a major challenge in the nation’s universities, adding that 37 federal universities and seven teaching hospitals would benefit from the Energising Education Programme (EEP).
He stated that the EEP project, estimated to cost $213 million, would provide119 megawatts of power in 37 universities using off-grid solar technology.
According to him, Nigerians should embrace the bond initiative, the first in Africa to benefit from its higher yields.
Osinbajo, who commended the ministries of Finance and Environment for the foresight in putting the bonds together, said the initiative would attract more private sector participation in the market.
Also speaking, Amina Mohammed, Minister of Environment, said that the project was in line with the Federal Government’s sustainable development initiative born in September 2016.
Mrs Mohammed said the government, under its recovery growth plan initiative, identified Green Bonds as a vehicle that could be used to drive the economy in terms of environmental projects funding.
She said that the bonds, if properly harnessed, would create new jobs, open new investment avenues for the country as well as ensure creative thinking.
Mohammed stated that the proceeds would be invested in critical social-economic and environmental sectors that would impact on the lives of common Nigerians.
She said that the domestic investors needed to rally round the issuance to ensure its success in order to support government diversification agenda. The minister said that the bond’s proceeds would be managed by the DMO.
Mr Babatunde Fashola, Minister of Power, Works and Housing, said that the initiative was born based on extensive consultation.
Fashola said that the DMO would determine the amount that would be used for all projects earmarked under the Green Bonds.
He said that Nigeria was working toward achieving 30 per cent in renewable energy by 2030, adding that Solar Unit Distribution Programme (SUDIP) project was estimated to cost N1.3 billion.
According to him, the units in aggregate from the project will provide up to 12mws of power, creating 6,000 jobs and impacting at least 60,000 persons.
Mankind’s future ability to feed itself is in jeopardy due to intensifying pressures on natural resources, mounting inequality, and the fallout from a changing climate, warns a new FAO report.
Jose Graziano da Silva, Director General of the FAO. The FAO report says climate change is a risk to the world’s food security
Though very real and significant progress in reducing global hunger has been achieved over the past 30 years, “expanding food production and economic growth have often come at a heavy cost to the natural environment,” says “The Future of Food and Agriculture: Trends and Challenges”.
“Almost one half of the forests that once covered the Earth are now gone. Groundwater sources are being depleted rapidly. Biodiversity has been deeply eroded,” it notes.
As a result, “planetary boundaries may well be surpassed, if current trends continue,” cautions FAO Director-General, José Graziano da Silva, in his introduction to the report.
By 2050 humanity’s ranks will likely have grown to nearly 10 billion people. In a scenario with moderate economic growth, this population increase will push up global demand for agricultural products by 50 percent over present levels projects The Future of Food and Agriculture, intensifying pressures on already-strained natural resources.
At the same time, greater numbers of people will be eating fewer cereals and larger amounts of meat, fruits, vegetables and processed food – a result of an ongoing global dietary transition that will further add to those pressures, driving more deforestation, land degradation, and greenhouse gas emissions.
Alongside these trends, the planet’s changing climate will throw up additional hurdles. “Climate change will affect every aspect of food production,” the report says. These include greater variability of precipitation and increases in the frequency of droughts and floods.
To reach zero hunger, we need to step up our efforts
The core question raised by today’s FAO publication is whether, looking ahead, the world’s agriculture and food systems are capable of sustainably meeting the needs of a burgeoning global population.
The short answer? Yes, the planet’s food systems are capable of producing enough food to do so, and in a sustainable way, but unlocking that potential – and ensuring that all of humanity benefits – will require “major transformations.”
Without a push to invest in and retool food systems, far too many people will still be hungry in 2030 – the year by which the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) agenda has targeted the eradication of chronic food insecurity and malnutrition, the report warns.
“Without additional efforts to promote pro-poor development, reduce inequalities and protect vulnerable people, more than 600 million people would still be undernourished in 2030,” it says. In fact, the current rate of progress would not even be enough to eradicate hunger by 2050.
Where will our food come from?
Given the limited scope for expanding agriculture’s use of more land and water resources, the production increases needed to meet rising food demand will have to come mainly from improvements in productivity and resource-use efficiency.
However there are worrying signs that yield growth is levelling off for major crops. Since the 1990s, average increases in the yields of maize, rice, and wheat at the global level generally run just over 1 percent per annum, the report notes.
To tackle these and the other challenges outlined in the report, “business-as-usual” is not an option, The Future of Food and Agriculture argues.
“Major transformations in agricultural systems, rural economies and natural resource management will be needed if we are to meet the multiple challenges before us and realize the full potential of food and agriculture to ensure a secure and healthy future for all people and the entire planet,” it says.
“High-input, resource-intensive farming systems, which have caused massive deforestation, water scarcities, soil depletion and high levels of greenhouse gas emissions, cannot deliver sustainable food and agricultural production,” adds the report.
More with less
The core challenge is to produce more with less, while preserving and enhancing the livelihoods of small-scale and family farmers, and ensuring access to food by the most vulnerable. For this, a twin-track approach is needed which combines investment in social protection, to immediately tackle undernourishment, and pro-poor investments in productive activities – especially agriculture and in rural economies – to sustainably increase income-earning opportunities of the poor.
The world will need to shift to more sustainable food systems which make more efficient use of land, water and other inputs and sharply reduce their use of fossil fuels, leading to a drastic cut of agricultural green-house gas emissions, greater conservation of biodiversity, and a reduction of waste. This will necessitate more investment in agriculture and agrifood systems, as well as greater spending on research and development, the report says, to promote innovation, support sustainable production increases, and find better ways to cope with issues like water scarcity and climate change.
Along with boosting production and resilience, equally critical will be creating food supply chains that better connect farmers in low- and middle-income countries to urban markets – along with measures which ensure access for consumers to nutritious and safe food at affordable prices, such as such as pricing policies and social protection programmes, it says.
When former Sweden captain, Zlatan lbrahimovic, signed the contract papers to lace his boots for Manchester United for this season, critics tagged him a “spent force”.
Zlatan lbrahimovic
At age 35, little did they know that the Swede has a fresh challenge of playing in England, which has kept his motivation high to reach a secret target in the English Premier League campaign.
That target is to be the highest goal scorer this season; though he did not reveal the targeted goal haul, his mission however is to score more goals.
Ibrahimovic has made a seamless transition to the Premier League, scoring 15 goals and 20 in total, since his arrival from Paris Saint Germain on a free transfer.
Although he has 22 assists, hat-trick against St Etienne, for a 3-0 win of Europa League, plus a goal from the 3-0 win over Leicester City, has made him the oldest EPL scorer.
Despite the old age, ltalian outfit Napoli is plotting a summer move for the Swede. Napoli president, Aurelio De Laurentiis, has spoken of his admiration for the legendary Swedish striker.
The Swede is yet to finalise a 12-month extension of his contract at Manchester United despite the club being keen to tie him down.
Reports say Jose Mourinho will sit down with Ibrahimovic to discuss his future with the club, expressing confidence that the striker will remain at Old Trafford for another 12 months.
Nigeria aims to be a leading light for continent-wide effort to harness the potential of food production to become a significant source of jobs on and off the farm
Nigeria Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh
The Nigerian Government in Abuja on Wednesday, February 22 2017 welcomed senior officials from the African Union Commission and agriculture experts from across the continent for an intensive three-day meeting to develop a new national agriculture investment plan (NAIP) that will provide a blueprint for returning agriculture to its once prominent role anchoring Africa’s largest economy.
“We are here to ensure the Malabo commitments are aligned into the government’s plan for agriculture, which remains a particularly important revenue generator for this country,” said Dr. Ngozi Okonjo, Director-General, Nigeria Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. “We want a detailed plan of action, one that signals to our private sector partners that Nigeria’s agriculture sector is open for business and primed to deliver new income opportunities to the millions of Nigerians who depend on farming and food production for a living.”
The key purpose of the meeting – organised by the AU Commission and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) – is to review and refresh the plan for making crop, livestock and fisheries the centerpiece of Nigeria’s economic development agenda. The effort also will ensure Nigeria’s NAIP is aligned with commitments contained in the AU’s 2014 Malabo Declaration, which seeks to cut poverty rates in half by 2025 through agriculture-led economic growth.
“The NAIP remains a central tool for the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) implementation as it translates the continental and country aspirations into an evidence based plan with clear targets, budgets and mutual accountability,” said Ernest Ruzindaza, Senior Advisor and CAADP Team Leader, African Union Commission. “It’s inspiring to see such a diverse group come together to determine exactly how Nigeria is going to generate the investments required to energize a sector that embodies the hope for a better future for all Nigerians.”
Nigeria has many of the key attributes – including large tracts of fertile land, a favorable climate, and a large, educated workforce – to become a global player in agriculture and food production.
“A bold, concise investment strategy that sets out government responsibilities and a clear timeline for delivering on them can unlock investments from other partners and generate the productive, prosperous agriculture sector Nigeria needs and deserves,” said Dr. Makinde Kehinde, Nigeria Country Lead for the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA).
Experts noted that NAIPs are considered the key to realising the ambitions of Africa’s Agenda 2063, a detailed 50-year framework for transforming African economies through inclusive growth and sustainable development.
Participants at the meeting include representatives from key development partners, donor governments, the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), the World Bank, and the African Development Bank. Also in attendance are and representatives from agriculture businesses and civil society groups that work in Nigeria, including the Nairobi-based AGRA, Africa Lead, and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
The consultations come on the heels of the release last month of Nigeria’s Zero Hunger report. The manifesto calls for bringing modern and sustainable production methods to Nigeria’s smallholder farms, while creating more market opportunities by establishing trade corridors, processing zones and industrial parks that can connect Nigerian farmers to consumers in Nigeria’s urban centres.
Organisers of the NAIP meeting expect to emerge from the consultations with a roadmap that re-enforces the call to action in the Hunger report with a detailed multi-year spending plan for agriculture that is tied to a performance scorecard to publicly monitor progress.
The refreshed NAIP also will build upon the Nigerian Government’s Agriculture and Food Security Strategy and its recently approved “Green Alternative” policy, both of which emphasise agricultural transformation as crucial to Nigeria’s economic diversification. Recent declines in oil prices have re-enforced the importance of a diversified economy in Nigeria and officials are looking to investments in agriculture to reduce food imports, create employment, improve livelihoods and generate foreign exchange.
Nigeria was largely self-sufficient in food production through the 1960s, but agriculture’s dominant position declined as oil became major source of revenue. Today, Nigeria imports about $11 billion worth of wheat, rice, sugar and fish each year.
“We see many opportunities in Nigeria to boost food production by introducing higher-yielding, climate smart crop varieties and improved fertilisers along with support for private sector marketing activities,” added Kehinde. “The Guinea Savannah and Sudan Savannah regions are particularly ripe for progress, as they offer both fertile agriculture lands and large populations that are skilled in farming and eager for new economic opportunities.”
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs of India, chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, on Wednesday, February 22 2017 approved the enhancement of capacity from 20,000 MW to 40,000 MW of the Scheme for Development of Solar Parks and Ultra Mega Solar Power Projects. The enhanced capacity would ensure setting up of at least 50 solar parks each with a capacity of 500 MW and above in various parts of the country.
Shri Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India
Smaller parks in Himalayan and other hilly States where contiguous land may be difficult to acquire in view of the difficult terrain, will also be considered under the scheme. The capacity of the solar park scheme has been enhanced after considering the demand for additional solar parks from the States.
The Solar Parks and Ultra Mega Solar Power Projects will be set up by 2019-20 with Central Government financial support of Rs.8100 crore. The total capacity, when operational, will generate 64 billion units of electricity per year which will lead to abatement of around 55 million tonnes of CO2 per year over its life cycle.
It would also contribute to long term energy security of the country and promote ecologically sustainable growth by reduction in carbon emissions and carbon footprint, as well as generate large direct and indirect employment opportunities in solar and allied industries like glass, metals and heavy industrial equipment. The solar parks will also provide productive use of abundant uncultivable lands which in turn facilitate development of the surrounding areas.
All the States and UTs are eligible for benefits under the scheme. The State Government will first nominate the Solar Power Park Developer (SPPD) and also identify the land for the proposed solar park. It will then send a proposal to MNRE for approval along with the name of the SPPD. The SPPD will then be sanctioned a grant of upto Rs.25 Lakh for preparing a Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the Solar Park. Thereafter, Central Financial Assistance (CFA) of up to Rs. 20 lakhs/MW or 30 percent of the project cost including Grid-connectivity cost, whichever is lower, will be released as per the milestones prescribed in the scheme. Solar Energy Corporation India (SECI) will administer the scheme under the direction of MNRE. The approved grant will be released by SECI.
The solar parks will be developed in collaboration with State Governments/UTs. The State Governments/UTs are required to select the SPPD for developing and maintaining the solar parks.
Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) is already implementing a scheme for development of at least 25 solar parks with an aggregate capacity of 20,000 MW, which was launched in December 2014. As on date, 34 solar parks of aggregate capacity 20,000 MW have been approved which are at various stages of development.
At the International Petroleum Week (IP Week) conference in London on Thursday, February 23 2017, the Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, Patricia Espinosa, spoke about pathways towards a better energy system. She called on the oil and gas executives and policymakers attending the meeting to align their work with the goals of the Paris Climate Change Agreement, designed to put the world on a path to low carbon and resilience, and with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. And she asked them to think in terms of long-term energy perspectives, and to invest in innovation. “It is also in your best interest to limit sea-level rise, reduce extreme and unpredictable weather, increase stability in the developing world and grow global wealth at all levels of society,” she said.
Patricia Espinosa at the IP Week
Our global pathway towards a better energy system is a crucial discussion and many of the leaders who can improve our energy system are here today, so I very much appreciate this opportunity to join you.
Friends, before I speak about the future of energy, I would like to take a moment to reflect on the past. Specifically, I think that two truths from the past must set the context for how we grow and develop our energy system from this point forward.
First, we must recognise the role of oil and gas in the global development arc that defines modern life. Visionary leadership by this industry – innovators, entrepreneurs, scientists and engineers – formed the foundation for society as we know it, improving almost every part of our daily lives. It is impossible to look at the development gains made to date without acknowledging the proliferation of affordable, reliable energy.
Second, we must also acknowledge that we live in a vastly different world now than we did when we discovered the potential of fossil fuels. We have more people. We have a more connected world. We have rapid development in all parts of the globe. We have a degraded natural environment that must sustain more and more people every minute. And we have new scientific understanding that demonstrates that the risk-reward dynamic of using fossil energy has changed dramatically.
The previous risks associated with climate change were for the most part regulatory, but that has shifted to more material risks. As the science has gotten clearer regarding the impacts of climate change, we are also starting to see those impacts materialise. Droughts, floods, high heat, extreme weather and rising seas are displacing people, incurring infrastructure costs and putting lives and livelihoods in jeopardy. And no one is immune from these risks.
Climate change is no longer a theoretical risk to infrastructure, it is a real risk and even oil and gas infrastructure will need to be made more resilient. Risk has gone from theory to material manifestation. And one of the most interesting discussions at the World Economic Forum was about the great need to disclose this risk so shareholders are aware of their portfolio’s exposure.
So at this point, with a dramatically different risk dynamic surrounding all development and energy in particular, we must have an inclusive conversation on how to proceed in ways that are good for all people and for the planet we all share.
This conversation must include the voices of the energy leaders who have brought us to this point and will continue to play an important role moving forward, which is precisely why I am here today.
I am here to further engage the oil and gas industry and foster a productive dialogue as implementation of the Paris Agreement begins in earnest.
I believe that today’s energy leaders can and must be part of the discussion as the world transitions to a new energy mix that sustains peace and prosperity as our population swells from seven to nine or 10 billon people, or more.
To balance our human need for affordable energy with the increasingly clear scientific evidence that unmanaged fossil fuel use is incompatible with a stable climate and the security that such stability brings, we must act quickly, collaboratively and in a concerted manor to update the global growth and development model.
Fortunately, we do not have to wonder what such a transformation looks like. We are not starting from scratch. In 2015, governments of the world adopted the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Climate Change Agreement.
The Paris Agreement unites all nations in a common goal – to achieve climate neutrality in the second half of the century by taking steps to limit global average temperature rise to as close to 1.5 degrees Celsius as possible.
This complements the 17 aspirational Sustainable Development Goals, or SDGs, which are designed to ensure human needs are met, economic opportunity is open to all and the natural world we rely on is protected. Climate change is also one of the SDGs.
These agreements were put in place with widespread support from cities and regions serving hundreds of millions of people and businesses and investors worth trillions of dollars. National governments are not alone in this new development direction, it is a trend supported by business, finance and governments at all levels, as well as the public.
Rapid entry into force of the Paris Agreement last November and recent work towards the Sustainable Development Goals shows that momentum towards this globally agreed vision has not diminished as implementation gets underway.
And as we move into this next phase for global cooperation on climate change, I see three things that the oil and gas industry can do to be active in the transition to more socially and environmentally responsible development.
First, begin with the benefits. Aligning with the Paris Agreement provides benefits that go beyond short-term profit and loss. From simply gaining operational efficiency to better management of risk and reputation, incentives are already emerging as countries implement their contributions to these agreements. To capture these emerging benefits and grow the global market, companies need to start looking beyond the next quarter’s bottom line.
Which takes me to my second point – look at the long term. A diverse business plan that aligns with global goals is in the energy industry’s best interest. It is also in your best interest to limit sea-level rise, reduce extreme and unpredictable weather, increase stability in the developing world and grow global wealth at all levels of society. These are goals we are all working towards, even if your long-term action plans are not as specific as the Paris Agreement and SDGs.
My third and final point is – invest in innovation. This industry has done quite well by innovating to serve the world’s energy needs. And yet, it is only a fraction of what is possible as billions of people are born and opportunity opens even further. Investment in innovation leverages your history to serve the next generation and then one after that, without impacting human or planetary health.
Whether its carbon capture and storage or clean energy or research and development in biofuels and other green technology, every incremental step towards a new, low-emission development model further decouples emissions from growth. This is a crucial part of the transformation to a truly sustainable, climate-safe society.
Now, I know that many of you are already leading in these areas. Norway’s Statoil is working on CCS. Saudi Aramco is diversifying into solar and other renewable energies. Many large oil and gas companies are internally pricing carbon, collaborating to reduce emissions from operations or setting up funds to accelerate this transition.
The International Energy Agency has identified minimising methane emissions from upstream oil and gas production as one of five key global greenhouse gas mitigation opportunities. Low-cost reductions in this area could account for nearly 15% of total greenhouse gas reductions needed by 2020 to keep the world on a 2-degree path. I applaud the companies working to reduce these emissions as part of the UNEP-hosted Climate and Clean Air Coalition and its Oil and Gas Methane Partnership.
But I also must ask – why is this not in the DNA of all companies in the industry? You are making progress, but like so many other industries who are taking note of our new direction, there is more to be done. Today, I ask you all to do more. Make this an industry-wide movement.
In conclusion, let me say that I very much want the energy industry, which has done so much for the common good of humanity to this point, to be part of the constructive conversation about how to get to true sustainability.
Because while we have witnessed the start of the changes to our risk dynamic, the generations to come will feel the full effect of this changing risk dynamic. Now, just how much that dynamic changes, well that is up to us.
Malawi, Senegal, Kenya, Morocco and Ghana have been listed as focused countries under a fresh initiative involving civil society organisations (CSOs) in Africa and the Green Climate Fund (GCF).
Samuel Ogallah Samson of the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA)
Tagged the ‘‘Civil Society Organisations Readiness to the Green Climate Fund – focus Africa’’, the project, which is being anchored by the Nairobi, Kenya-based Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA), was informed by the need to beef up the somewhat limited and challenging engagement by African CSOs in GCF activities.
Programme Manager, PACJA, Samuel Ogallah Samson, says: “The project is justified by the fact that current engagement by African CSOs in the GCF processes and activities is limited and faces several challenges despite the region being considered as a focus one for the Fund.
“Strengthening that engagement at the national level is an important step to scale-up existing civil society organisations’ capacities to advocate for ambitious proposals, bring on-the-ground expertise to the table and ensure accountability of GCF-funded activities by national authorities and other implementing agencies through a broader societal mobilisation and stakeholders’ engagement.”
He pointed out that, while at the national level only few national CSOs are lightly engaged in GCF discussions, at the international level a few representatives from African CSOs follow board meetings.
“The complex structures and communication of the Fund are not always easily accessible by these CSOs which are also most often not included in GCF readiness activities,” he adds.
Consequently, the project was initiated to support broader African civil society engagement in GCF processes in Malawi, Senegal, Kenya and Morocco that already have an approved GCF project, and Ghana that is currently preparing a proposal for the Fund.
The project, it was gathered, is implemented by a consortium of partner organisations, including Germanwatch and CARE International together with other NGOs across Africa such as ENDA Senegal, AESVT Morocco, PACJA Kenya, CISONECC Malawi, and ABANTU Ghana.
The project is being funded by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB) through the International Climate Initiative (IKI).
Another partner organisation, ICSC Philippines, Samson discloses, will also support some components of the project related to outreach and communication.
The Cross River State Government (CRSG) has been advised to adhere strictly to the provisions of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Act and suspend any plan to commence the construction of the proposed Superhighway without the approval of the Federal Government.
Gov Ben Ayade of Cross River State
The Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), who made the submission in a press statement made available to EnviroNews on Thursday, February 23 2017, stated that allowing such a project to go on without proper EIA and Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) in place “will have both environmental and social impact of a scale that is better imagined than experienced”.
The NCF reaction is coming against the backdrop of the threat issued in Calabar on Monday, February 20, 2017 by some cabinet members of the CRSG to resume work on the Superhighway if the Federal Government failed to endorse the EIA.
At a media briefing, Commissioner of Information, Rosemary Archibong, alluded to the process by the Federal Ministry of Environment (FME) to ensure that due process is followed as “thwarting our (CRSG) effort”. She further lamented that “we have met all guidelines set by these agencies and we have striven to meet the demands to ensure that these projects took off smoothly. Yet, over one year after, we are still battling with these approvals”.
But, according to the NCF, the claim by the CRSG to have met “all guidelines”’ is incorrect, listing reasons to buttress its point thus:
Work was already being carried out at the site before any EIA report was submitted, which it describes as a gross violation of the EIA Act No. 86 of 1992.
Contrary to the claim that the CRSG has met all guidelines, the belated EIA report is was full of errors and inconsistencies, which the EIA Review Panel constituted by the FME observed. It was then sent back to the CRSG to effect the observations and concerns raised.
A revised EIA and a Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) from the CRSG was submitted last January to the FME, which was passed to relevant stakeholders, including NCF, for further review. It was observed that the revised EIA and BAP were fraught with a lot of inconsistencies, misrepresentations, falsification and errors. The stakeholders’ observations were recently conveyed to the FME.
The threat by the CRSG to go ahead with the construction without an approved EIA goes to show the level at which the CRSG is unwilling to abide by the laws governing major developmental projects. It should be stated here that all such projects all over the country are obliged to follow the EIA Act.
No mention was made of over 185 communities that will be totally displaced from their ancestral lands and the vast acreage of forest land that will be destroyed.
The nature conservation group adds: “Based on the foregoing, NCF wishes to state that for the CRSG to threaten to go ahead with the work despite the FME’s efforts to see that the process is followed according to the laws of the land, begs the question.”
