State governments have been urged to emulate the Akwa Ibom State Government’s efforts towards addressing climate change.
Prof. Olukayode Oladipo. He wants states to emulate the Akwa Ibom State Government Roadmap on Climate Change
Climate expert and negotiator, Prof. Olukayode Oladipo, who made the submission recently in Uyo, the state capital, stated that the state’s Roadmap on Climate Change has received national and international commendation.
Prof. Oladipo pointed out during a Post-COP22 Stakeholders’ Engagement Forum with the theme: “Marrakech climate change conference: Outcome and opportunities for Akwa Ibom State” that the Akwa Ibom State Roadmap has been recommended at the national level as a guide to other states and called for proper translation into local languages for greater awareness.
He added that the Roadmap, which was unveiled at a side-event during the UN Climate Change Conference last November in Marrakech (COP22), gives Akwa Ibom State an opportunity to key into the Green Climate Fund and other climate change finance windows.
Environment Commissioner, Dr. Iniobong Essien, gave an insight into the Roadmap, which he said entails strategies, mechanisms, and projects to be implemented to foster low-carbon and high-growth economic development, while building a climate-resilient society in the state. He added that the forum was informed by the need to update stakeholders on the outcome of COP22.
Participants at the event
Executive Director, Water Safety Initiative Foundation, Unyime Robinson, stated that, based on the state’s participation in the Marrakech conference, it was imperative to translate the outcome and its benefits to the people of Akwa Ibom State.
Participants at the event commended the Ministry of Environment as well as the Water Safety Initiative Foundation for organising the forum, and called for the enactment of the environmental laws, creation of awareness to educate the citizenry, and massive planting of trees to mitigate the impacts of climate change.
Attended by over 150 participants including the Secretary to the State Government, Sir Etekamba Umoren, as well as representatives of the Vice Chancellors of the University of Uyo and Akwa Ibom State University, the event featured a documentary on climate change impacts in the state, and presentations on the outcome of COP22 and opportunities for Akwa Ibom State.
Also in attendance were representatives from the Office of the Governor; Deputy Governor; House Committee on Environment; Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs); civil society; and academia.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Thursday, 26 January 2017 in Manila, The Philipines, signed a new $109 million financing package for the Muara Laboh geothermal power generation project in western Indonesia. The financing, which was approved in December 2016, is part of ADB’s efforts to scale up private sector-led infrastructure development in Asia and the Pacific and boost support for clean energy.
A rig is deployed at Muara Laboh geothermal project. Photo credit: Supreme Energy
The project will be one of the first transactions to receive funding from ADB’s newly established Leading Asia’s Private Infrastructure Fund (LEAP). The Fund is capitalised by $1.5 billion in equity from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and is managed by ADB’s Private Sector Operations Department. With the Muara Laboh approval and other recent LEAP financings, over $200 million of LEAP funds have been allocated.
“This project demonstrates Indonesia’s commitment to meet increasing demand for electricity and support the development of renewable energy,” said Yuichiro Yoi, Senior Investment Specialist in ADB’s Private Sector Operations Department. “This transaction proves that the private sector will play a critical role in helping the country achieve both of these targets.”
On completion, the Muara Laboh geothermal facilities, located in West Sumatra, will generate 80 megawatts of electricity. Indonesia contains about 40% of the world’s geothermal reserves, making it an important resource for the country to achieve its commitments to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 29% by 2030.
The assistance is funded by a $70 million loan from ADB’s own capital and a $19 million participation from the Clean Technology Fund (CTF), which provides middle-income countries with concessional resources for the demonstration, deployment and transfer of low-carbon technologies. ADB administers over $1.1 billion of CTF, one of the four programmes comprising the Climate Investment Funds.
The project brings together an important set of geothermal project developers and financiers. The project company, PT Supreme Energy Muara Laboh, is a joint venture consisting of the Indonesian geothermal power developer, PT Supreme Energy; the Japanese trading and investment company, Sumitomo Corporation; and global energy leader ENGIE. In addition to ADB, financing is being provided by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation and a set of commercial banks under a guarantee from Nippon Export and Investment Insurance.
ADB, based in Manila, is dedicated to reducing poverty in Asia and the Pacific through inclusive economic growth, environmentally sustainable growth, and regional integration. Established in 1966, ADB is celebrating 50 years of development partnership in the region. It is owned by 67 members – 48 from the region.
The Benue State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs Mwuese Mnyim, has assured of government’s commitment to partner the Association for Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Nigeria in the provision of data on OVC (orphans and vulnerable children) in order to make it easier for the authorities to make budgetary heads to cater for them.
Benue State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs Mwuese Mnyim. Her ministry is partnering with the Association for Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Nigeria in the provision of data on OVC
The Commissioner, who made this commitment on Monday, 30 January 2017 in her office in Makurdi, the state capital, when the Benue State chapter of the Association paid her an advocacy visit, stated that, for government to roll out policies that are relevant and do not have disconnect with reality, they need data on OVCs which they do not have at the moment, and which is creating a big gap.
Mrs Mnyim maintained that the issue of OVC is at the core of the ministry and forms a core of the Governor Samuel Ortom administration, hence they cannot but fall in line in his vision for OVCs.
“Every child must be given the chance to fulfil his or her potential and contribute to the development of the state and country so be assured that when we join hands together, we will see the vision for OVCs through to fruition,” she promised the Association.
Earlier, the Coordinator of the Association, Mrs Rosemary Hua, had sued for government partnership to save vulnerable children from dying.
She stated that, over the years, there have been pockets of weak and uncoordinated interventions on orphans and vulnerable children in Nigeria by the government, civil society and international development partners.
“There has also been inadequate documentation while the standard of service delivery has been varied without attention to qualify. The CSO coordination has actually been very poor in this area, especially in Benue State,” she said.
According to her, the Association which was formed in 2007 but went moribund due to logistics factors was rejuvenated in 2016 to contribute towards the reduction of the impact of vulnerability which affects the wellbeing of children between ages 0-18 years in the country.
To this end, she submitted that, with government partnership, they can work closely with the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development in supporting OVC work in the state through coordinated and coherent input into the national, state and local government’s response.
Also speaking, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Mr Musa Abraham, stated that the issue of OVCs is dear to the heart of the government, adding that he appreciates the Association’s desire to see that orphans are catered for, a gesture he describes as a worthy service to humanity.
Current and foreseeable policies to mitigate carbon-dioxide (CO2) emissions from global transport activity will not suffice to achieve the international community’s climate ambitions, a new study published by the International Transport Forum (ITF) finds.
José Viegas, Secretary-General of International Transport Forum (ITF)
Continued strong growth in demand for mobility means that even in the most optimistic scenario, transport CO2 emissions in 2050 will still be at 2015 levels of around 7.5 giga-tonnes, according to projections published in the ITF Transport Outlook 2017.
This scenario already assumes that new technologies and changed behaviour lead to significantly less CO2 being emitted in relation to the total distance travelled. In the ITF Transport Outlook’s less optimistic baseline scenario, a doubling of global transport demand will lead to an increase of transport CO2 emissions of 60% between 2015 and 2050.
“We need to both accelerate innovation and make radical policy choices to decarbonise transport”, said ITF Secretary-General José Viegas on the occasion of the launch.
“Technology will provide about 70% of the possible CO2 reductions to 2050. The rest will come from doing things differently, and this is where there is still a lot of potential. We need to think much harder about things like shared mobility, changes in supply chains and even new transport modes.”
A key factor for the difficulty in reducing transport CO2 emissions over the long run is shifting global trade patterns. As trade moves to regions with a lack of rail or waterway infrastructure, greenhouse gas emissions from road freight will almost double. Driven by more trade among the region’s emerging economies, freight transport on intra-Asian routes will grow particularly strongly, by 250% to 2050. Operational measures such as truck-sharing, route optimisation or relaxation of delivery windows to optimise use of transport capacity would help to mitigate the emission increases here.
Urban mobility is another area of concern. Car use in cities is set to double by 2050, as fast-growing emerging economies meet mobility demand. According to the ITF analysis, cities can keep the number of cars constant at the 2015 level if they act now to put in place integrated land-use and transport policies, use pricing to manage mobility patterns and invest in accessibility through public transport.
“With the right policy mix, even fast-growing cities will be in a position provide today’s level of mobility to citizens but in a more sustainable way,” notes Jari Kauppila, Head of Modelling and Statistics at ITF.
Nearly 20 leading global banks and investors, totaling $6.6 trillion in assets, on Monday, 30 January 2017 in Paris, France launched the Principles for Positive Impact Finance – a first-of-its-kind set of criteria for investments to be considered sustainable.
French Finance Minister, Michel Sapin
“The Principles are a timely initiative from the finance sector. They demonstrate the willingness of financial institutions to go beyond current practices and to contribute to foster a more sustainable development,” said French Finance Minister, Michel Sapin. “They should provide strengthened foundations for a positive cooperation between public and private actors in this area.”
“Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals – the global action plan to end poverty, combat climate change and protect the environment – is expected to cost $5 to 7 trillion every year through 2030,” said Eric Usher, head of the UN Environment Finance Initiative.
“The Positive Impact Principles are a game changer, which will help to channel the hundreds of trillions of dollars managed by banks and investors towards clean, low carbon and inclusive projects.”
The Principles provide financiers and investors with a global framework applicable across their different business lines, including retail and wholesale lending, corporate and investment lending and asset management.
“With global challenges such as climate change, population growth and resource scarcity accelerating, there is an increased urgency for the finance sector both to adapt and to help bring about the necessary changes in our economic and business models. The Principles for Positive Impact Finance provide an ambitious yet practical framework by which we can take the broader angle view we need to meet the deeply complex and interconnected challenges of our time,” said Séverin Cabannes, Deputy CEO of Société Générale, a founding member of the group.
The four Positive Impact Principles provide guidance for financiers and investors to analyse, monitor and disclose the social, environmental and economic impacts of the financial products and services they deliver.
The innovation of the Principles lies in the requirement for a holistic appraisal of positive and negative impacts on economic development, human well-being and the environment.
The Principles do not prescribe a single method for achieving positive impact, but they require that appraisal processes and methodologies be transparent.
The Principles are part of a broader process under the Positive Impact Manifesto, launched in 2015 to call for a new, impact-based financing paradigm to bridge the gap in financing for sustainable development.
“We welcome the launch of UN Environment Finance Initiative’s Principles for Positive Impact Finance because we believe that the purpose of investment goes beyond the simple quest for accumulation of wealth. We can make sustainable development happen through targeted resource allocation and effective stewardship and advocacy, leading to truly impactful and sustainable businesses which deliver goods and services, which savers value and can afford and in a social environment they want to live in,” said Saker Nusseibeh, CEO of Hermes Investment Management.
“The Principles are the tool that is needed to enable the business and finance community to work and innovate together, and to address the challenge of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The financial sector has already moved forward in that direction and we hope that the Principles as well as the Paris Green and Sustainable Finance Initiative we launched last year will help marking a new stage,” said Gérard Mestrallet, Chairman of Paris EUROPLACE and Chairman of the Board of ENGIE.
“In many ways this is the beginning rather than the conclusion of a process,” said Hervé Guez, Head of SRI Research at Mirova. “The Principles build on existing frameworks, such as the UN Global Compact, the Equator Principles, the Principles for Responsible Investment and the Green Bond Principles. The group will be collaborating with a wide range of stakeholders and partners to further the implementation of the Principles,” he added.
“As financial institution we support our clients in their transition to a sustainable economy. By integrating environmental and social considerations and actively supporting sustainable business opportunities to grow we can realize change. By placing positive impact at the heart of business strategy, the Principles for Positive Impact Finance are an ambitious and necessary new milestone on the road to a greener and more inclusive economy,” said Paul-Emmanuel Aaerts, Head of ING Wholesale Banking France.
“In addition to our commitments as individual financial institutions, deeper cooperation between financiers, governments, technology providers and investors is needed to effectively deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals,” said Séverin Cabannes, Deputy CEO of Société Générale, a founding member of the group.
“The Principles are an inspiring step forward. BMCE Bank of Africa is expanding across the continent and it is clear to us that we must be an integral part of delivering the solutions to the many needs that prevail in the countries we operate in. The Principles provide a good framework for this,” said Brahim Benjelloun-Touimi, Group Executive Managing Director, BMCE Bank of Africa and Chairman of BOA Group.
“Investment managers are exploring new frontiers in ESG investing, looking for links between business opportunities and environmental and social impacts. The UN Environment Finance Initiative Principles for Positive Impact Finance put sustainability issues on the agenda for a new generation of investors and companies alike,” said Michael Jantzi, CEO, Sustainalytics.
“The Principles for Positive Impact Finance build on the sound values promoted by the UN Global Compact, providing a holistic approach to the financing of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals,” said Gavin Power, Deputy Director of the UN Global Compact. “We are committed to help promote these Principles with our constituencies and partners, as part of our Action Platform on Catalysing Financial Innovation for the SDGs.”
“The need to align capital markets to a 2 degree world is urgent and necessary,” said Fiona Reynolds, Managing Director of the Principles for Responsible Investment. “The UN Environment Finance Initiative Principles for Positive Impact Finance are an important tool for investors to frame their positive contribution to the environment, the society and the economy.”
The Principles For Positive Impact Finance were developed by the Positive Impact Working Group, a group of UN Environment Finance Initiative banking and investment members, as part of the implementation of the roadmap outlined in the Positive Impact Manifesto released in October 2015.
Currently, the Positive Impact Working Group includes: Australian Ethical, Banco Itaú, BNP Paribas, BMCE Bank of Africa, Caisse des Dépôts Group, Desjardins Group, First Rand, Hermes Investment Management, ING, Mirova, NedBank, Pax World, Piraeus Bank, SEB, Société Générale, Standard Bank, Triodos Bank, Westpac and YES Bank.
The UN Environment Finance Initiative is a partnership between the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the global financial sector created in the wake of the 1992 Earth Summit with a mission to promote sustainable finance. Over 200 financial institutions, including banks, insurers and fund managers, work with UNEP to understand today’s environmental challenges, why they matter to finance, and how to actively participate in addressing them.
Among the 10 commitments, the Heads of State have resolved to increase vaccine-related funding, strengthen supply chains and delivery systems, as well as make universal access to vaccines a cornerstone of health and development efforts
Outgoing African Union Commission Chairperson, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma. The Heads of State have adopted the Addis Declaration on Immunisation, a historic and timely pledge to ensure that everyone in Africa receives the full benefits of immunisation
Heads of State from across Africa on Thursday, 31 January 2017 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, adopted a Declaration on Universal Access to Immunisation in Africa, in which they endorsed the Addis Declaration on Immunisation, a historic and timely pledge to ensure that everyone in Africa – regardless of who they are or where they live – receives the full benefits of immunisation. The endorsement was issued during the 28th African Union (AU) Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
While Africa has made impressive gains over the last 15 years toward increasing access to immunisation, progress has stagnated, and the continent is falling behind on meeting global immunisation targets. One in five children in Africa still does not receive basic life-saving vaccines and, as a result, vaccine-preventable diseases continue to claim too many lives. Measles alone accounts for approximately 61,000 preventable deaths in the African region every year.
“We know that universal access to immunisation is achievable,” noted outgoing African Union Commission Chairperson, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma. “The Addis Declaration on Immunisation is a historic pledge. With political support at the highest levels, we are closer than ever to ensuring that all children in Africa have an equal shot at a healthy and productive life.”
The Addis Declaration on Immunisation calls for countries to increase political and financial investments in their immunisation programmes. It includes 10 commitments, including increasing vaccine-related funding, strengthening supply chains and delivery systems, and making universal access to vaccines a cornerstone of health and development efforts.
“Vaccines are among the most effective public health tools available,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Director for Africa. “When children are given a healthy start, communities thrive and economies grow stronger. This show of support from Heads of State is a significant step forward in our efforts to achieve universal access to immunisation and, ultimately, improve child health and drive sustainable development across Africa.”
Fewer than 15 African countries fund more than 50% of their national immunisation programmes. As Africa nears polio eradication, critical funding for immunisation through the polio eradication programme is expected to ramp down. Additionally, countries approaching middle-income status will transition away from Gavi support for immunisation in the coming years. Consequently, governments must redouble their efforts to make universal immunisation coverage a national priority.
“As long as even one child in Africa lacks access to immunisation, our work remains unfinished,” said Dr Ala Alwan, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean. “With the right mix of political will, financial resources and technical acumen, Africa can – and will – stem the tide of vaccine-preventable diseases across the continent.”
With strong leadership and investment, increased access to immunisation is within reach. For example, in 2010, Ethiopia built 16,000 new health centres, purchased 2,000 battery-free solar refrigerators for vaccine storage, and built a network of millions of health extension workers and volunteers at community level to increase access to immunisation throughout the country. Since these investments were made, Ethiopia has made remarkable gains, with immunisation rates soaring from 61% in 2010 to 86% in 2015.
“Immunisation is one of the smartest investments a country can make in its future,” said Professor Yifru Berhan Mitke, Ethiopia’s Minister of Health. “We must do more to protect all our children from preventable diseases – not only because it is the right thing to do, but also because it makes economic sense. When our children are healthy, our families, communities and countries thrive.”
The Addis Declaration on Immunisation was signed by Ministers of Health and other line ministers at the Ministerial Conference on Immunisation in Africa (MCIA) in February 2016 in Addis Ababa. MCIA was the first-ever ministerial-level gathering with a singular focus on ensuring that children across the continent can access life-saving vaccines. To guide the implementation of the ADI, a roadmap is being developed in close collaboration with the WHO offices in the African Region and Eastern Mediterranean Region, the African Union Commission and immunisation partners.
“African leaders are showing outstanding leadership by endorsing this landmark commitment which will allow more African children to be reached with life-saving vaccines no matter where they live,” said Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Chair of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance board. “We must now ensure that the commitments translate into sustainable financing for immunisation. Gavi stands ready to support African countries in their efforts to implement equitable health approaches and maintain strong immunisation coverage so we can create together a more prosperous future for communities across our continent.”
Ogun State Government has said that it will partner with the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) to regenerate its forest reserves, revitalise forestry activities and mitigate the impact of climate change in the state.
Canoeing in the Omo Forest Reserve, Ogun State
Commissioner for Forestry, Chief Kolawole Lawal, made the disclosure recently in Abeokuta, the state capital, while addressing the stakeholders at a forum tagged: “Deforestation for Charcoal Production” organised by the university to familiarise the public on the benefits of charcoal and how to manage tree exploitation for charcoal production without necessarily depleting the forest.
Lawal, in a statement signed by his Press Officer, Olusola Olubodun, noted that incessant exploitation of immature trees without replacing them was a major cause of deforestation leading to climate change.
He said: “Once a tree that stores carbon dioxide is felled, carbon dioxide is released into the air in excess, while oxygen that is supposed to be released for human benefit would either cease or reduce in quantity.”
The Commissioner expressed government’s readiness to collaborate with the institution towards regenerating the forest and re-orientating members of the public on how to carry-out charcoal production without endangering the forest and its ecosystem.
He advised the general public to always notify the ministry before felling any tree in line with Ogun State Forestry law, to enable government put necessary measures in place so as not to pose a threat to the environment.
Director, Directorate of Grants Management of the institution, Professor Kola Adebayo, commended the state government on its efforts at protecting the forest reserves, saying there is room for improvement.
He implored the people of the state to inculcate the habit of planning trees to enhance human survival.
Follow The Money, a campaign being promoted by the Abuja-based Connected Development (CODE) aimed at tracking and monitoring governmental and international aid disbursements, has commended the Federal House of Representatives (HOR) for commissioning its committees on Anti-Corruption, Environment and Habitat to begin an investigation over the last administration’s “Clean CookStoves For Rural Women Project,” a N9.287 billion scheme initiated in 2014 to supply 750,000 units of clean stoves and 18,000 wonderbags to rural women.
The clean cookstoves imported under the N9.2 billion Federal Government project
On January 24, 2017, the Reps adopted a motion moved by James Faleke on the urgent need to investigate the N9.2 billion made available by government to provide the stated items.
In September 2015, Follow The Money, which had been tracking the expenditure of the N9.2 billion since it was approved in November 2014, released and submitted a report to the National Assembly and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), stating that only 45,000 clean cookstoves were provided and exhibited at the Velodrome of the National Stadium in Abuja.
The report also stated that, out of the N9.2 billion, the Federal Ministry of Finance only released N5 billion to the Federal Ministry of Environment for the execution of the project, and the Ministry of Environment only released N1.3 billion (15%) to the contractor of the project – Integra Renewable Energy Services Limited.
On learning about the investigation of the project by the HOR, Hamzat Lawal, the Chief Executive of CODE and Co-Founder of Follow The Money, said: “We applaud such phenomenal initiative by our law makers. We believe that such investigation would trigger proper sanctions for those that compromised the rule of law in the process of the project meant for rural poor women.
“Till today, we have not seen any single beneficiary of the cookstoves. Where are the 45,000 stoves that were procured?
“Ultimately, we call on the respective HOR committees to conduct the investigation in an open forum so that all relevant stakeholders, including the civil society and media, can participate, give feedbacks, share their findings on the white elephant scheme’s saga and ensure transparency in the investigation.”
According to CODE, the Anti-Corruption committee of the HOR will be investigating details of the contract, number of cookstoves supplied, mode of distribution and details of beneficiaries on a state-by-state basis. The group adds that the Reps will likewise seek to determine the status of the balance of N952,000,000 that is with the contractor since 750,000 units would have been supplied at a unit cost of N464, totalling N348,000,000 out of the N1.3 billion paid out.
In addition, CODE discloses, the committee will confirm the status of the balance of N3.7 billion which is outstanding from the initial payment to the Federal Ministry of Environment.
The lawmakers are expected to report back to the House within six weeks for further legislative actions.
The United States will switch course on climate change and pull out of a global pact to cut emissions, said Myron Ebell, who headed U.S. President Donald Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) transition team until his inauguration.
Myron Ebell, head of U.S. President Donald Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) transition team. He says the country will soon switch course on climate change
“(Trump) could do it by executive order tomorrow or he could do it as part of a larger package,” Ebell told a conference in London on Monday, 30 January 2017. “I have no idea of the timing.”
Trump, a climate change doubter, campaigned on a pledge to boost the U.S. oil and gas drilling and coal mining industries by slashing regulation. He also promised to pull the United States out of the Paris Agreement aimed at curbing global warming.
Trump’s administration has asked the EPA to temporarily halt all contracts, grants and interagency agreements pending a review, according to sources.
Ebell, who helped guide the EPA’s transition after Trump was elected in November until he was sworn in on January 20, said it was difficult to predict the timing of any action because government departments are still in transition.
Ebell is Director of Global Warming and International Environmental Policy at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank in Washington.
Trump appointed Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, who has led 14 lawsuits against the EPA, as the agency’s administrator, although a vote on his nomination has not been scheduled.
Trump also has drawn heavily from the energy industry lobby and pro-drilling think tanks to build its landing team for the EPA, according to a list of the newly introduced 10-member team seen by Reuters on Monday.
Science and Technology news The Nigerian Academy of Science (NAS), at its Annual General Meeting held in Lagos on Thursday, 26th of January, 2017, has inducted Professor Kalu Mosto Onuoha as its new President.
Professor Kalu Mosto Onuoha, 18th president of the Nigerian Academy of Science (NAS)
Professor Onuoha took over from Professor Oyewale Tomori, a virologist, who served as President of the Academy between January 2013 and January 2016. Mosto, as he is fondly called, was the Academy’s Treasurer before he became Vice president in 2013.
In his acceptance speech, the new President said he was honoured to be elected as president of Nigeria’s foremost science organisation. Professor Onuoha, a Fellow of NAS, served as the pioneer Mobil Professor of Petroleum Geology at the Mobil Producing Nigeria’s Chair of Geology at the University of Calabar (1991-92). He also served as Technology Development Adviser (Subsurface Development Services) at the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria, Port Harcourt (1996-2002), and Shell/NNPC Professor of Geology at the Shell Chair, University of Nigeria, Nsukka (2003-2012). Prof. Onuoha additionally has served the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) in many capacities, including as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) between 2005 and 2009. Currently, he is the PTDF Chair of Petroleum Geology at the UNN.
In a statement, the NAS executive secretary, Dr Oladoyin Odubanjo, submitted: “Prof. Onuoha’s record of professional activities, community service, and services rendered to our nation, Nigeria includes membership of the Editorial Board of several reputable local and international scientific journals, Member of the Governing Council of Abia State University, Uturu (2000-2006), University of Nigeria, Nsukka (2005-2009), Federal University Ndufu Alike Ikwo, Ebonyi State (2015-2016), Visiting Professor to the African University of Science & Technology, Abuja (since 2010), and to the Federal University, Ndufu Alike Ikwo, and Member of the Board of Assessors (Science), Nigerian National Order of Merit (2003-2008).
“For the next four years, he will be leading the Nigerian Academy of Science in achieving an improved quality of life for the Nigerian society through the promotion and application of science and technology; as well as strengthen the nation’s ability to deliver the fruits of science to society by the acquisition, growth, and dissemination of sound scientific knowledge and facilitation of its use in the solution of major national problems.”
Established in 1977, the NAS is the foremost independent scientific body in Nigeria dedicated to the development and advancement of science, technology, and innovation, bringing scientific knowledge to positively guide policies/strategic direction of the country.
