Zambia has been awarded the opportunity to become the first African country to host the board meeting of the Green Climate Fund (GCF).
Fredson Yamba
Secretary to the Treasury, Fredson Yamba, said the choice of Zambia as the host of the important gathering of over 300 delegates was in recognition of the country’s positive image in international community.
“I am pleased to announce that Zambia has been awarded the opportunity to become the first African country to host the board meeting of the Worldwide Green Climate Fund (GCF),” Mr. Yamba said.
He said Zambia being given an opportunity to host the conference was consistent with the policy of government to facilitate job and wealth creation in all spheres of Zambia’s socio-economic endeavour.
Mr. Yamba said the aim of the GCF was to help developing countries reduce emissions and enhance investments in adaptation.
“In this regard, Zambia is expected to share its experience and raise awareness to the world about the impacts of climate change in the country’s regions considered as most vulnerable to climate change,” he said.
Mr. Yamba said apart from preparing for the meeting, Zambia was also taking active steps to become one of the first beneficiaries of the GFC.
He said during the forth-coming meeting to be held in November 2015 in Livingstone, the GCF Board would approve some financing request proposals, just in time for the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP 21) to the United Nation Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) scheduled for Paris, France towards the end of the year.
Mr. Yamba descried the GCF as an important avenue for the country to scale up existing initiatives such as the Pilot Programme for Climate Resilience (PPCR), the Scaling-Up Renewable Energy Programme (SREP), Forest Investment Programme (FIP), Zambia Integrated Landscape Management Project (ZILMP) and the National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA).
“I am confident about the prospects for wealth creation and sustainable livelihoods embedded in above listed climate change impact mitigation programmes as they all present our citizens, especially the youth, with unmatched job-creation opportunities. If we get our act together, Zambia is definitely able to surpass the 500, 000 [Five-Hundred-Thousand] jobs target announced by President Edgar Lungu duringWednesday’slaunch of the Youth Policy and the Action Plan for Youth Empowerment & Employment,” he said.
Mr. Yamba said the delegates for the Livingstone 2015 GCF gathering would comprise GCF board members, observers from civil society, the private sector, and various international organisations
National President of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP), Dr Femi Olomola, has said that a draft of the Land Use Planning Report (LUPAR) will be made ready in time for the institute’s next national conference and annual general meeting coming up in October in Ilorin, Kwara State.
Town planners in politics: National President of the NITP, Dr. Femi Olomola (second from left), with professional members of the institute and legislators in the National Assembly ..in Kaduna
Dr Olomola, a Fellow of the NITP (FNITP), made the disclosure recently during the institute’s 17th edition of the Mandatory Continuing Professional Development Programme (MCPDP) that held in Kaduna, Kaduna State. The two-day forum had: “Development of a Multi User Template for Land Use Planning and Analysis Reporting (LUPAR) in Nigeria” as its theme.
The Kaduna MCPDP is the third and last leg of the NITP’s MCPDPs in 2015, with Port Harcourt, Rivers State (June 18th – 19th) and Ibadan, Oyo State (July 1st – 2nd) previously hosting the event. All the MCPDPs discussed the same theme.
“Be rest assured that a draft of the LUPAR will be prepared and made available in time for our next conference in Ilorin in October. All suggestions bothering comments, observations and corrections made during this MCPDP and the previous ones in Port Harcourt and Ibadan will between now and October be looked into and possibly adopted so that will have a robust LUPAR that we will present to a full house of the NITP in Ilorin,” submitted Dr Olomola while delivering a keynote address during the opening of the well-attended workshop.
While describing LUPAR as a novelty that seeks to expand the frontiers of Site Analysis Report (SAR) applications beyond the tradition of planning approvals, the NITP president submitted that the MCPDP is aimed at building consensus on the new template among the practitioners and to allow for inputs before the report will be presented in October.
Conceived by the Femi Olomola-led administration, the LUPAR will also build on the existing SAR processes and procedures, as well as adding details of geographic references and further information relating to building types and conditions, title deeds, the local land use and development setting, and the permits granted on property.
The expanded areas of its application cut across various sectors of the economy, many of which have direct relevance to the financial sector and regulatory agencies.
According to the town planners, the new format LUPAR, in addition to other benefits, can become a very useful and authentic instrument that supports applications for opening of corporate bank accounts, process bank loans, make requests for Insurance cover, and incorporate/register new companies with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).
Besides, it will also address the traditional requirements of applications for building plan approval/permits, issuance of certificates of occupancies (C-of-Os), and potential value to security and regulatory agencies with oversight functions on crime and enforcement of standards, among others.
“With LUPAR, it is hoped that 95% of all problems related to lack of data, inadequate personnel and stress on development control will be significantly addressed. This shall lead to situations where our colleagues in government can now rely on LUPAR as a companion in their decision making processes. A combination of two or three LUPARs in the same neighbourhood will, if carefully joined together, provide an updated base map of the neighbourhood at zero cost to the Town Planning Authority,” said Dr Olomola.
While expressing satisfaction at the turnout of members at the MCPDP, Chairman of the Kaduna State Chapter of the NITP, Muhammad Lawal Ubale, disclosed that Kaduna has been fortunate since its inception in having plans for its development.
He said: “The first plan was draw in 1913. Kaduna master plan was prepared in 1967 to cover the planning period from 1961 to 2017. In 2010, the master plan was reviewed and Kaduna Spatial Development Framework was prepared for a planning period from 2010 to 2050.
“You may also wish to know that Kaduna became the administrative capital of Northern Nigeria from 1917 to 1959. It became the regional headquarters of Northern Nigeria from 1960 to 1966. In 1969, Kaduna became the capital North Central State up to 1975. Kaduna also became the capital of old Kaduna State which included the present Katsina State.
“Finally, Kaduna became capital of the present Kaduna State from 1989 to date. The experience of Kaduna as a regional capital and the role it is playing in Northern Nigeria and Nigeria in general cannot be overemphasised.”
Mercury is a toxin; a poison, yet it’s commonly used in dentistry. Charlie Brown, president of the Consumers for Dental Choice and the World Alliance for Mercury-Free Dentistry, has been leading the charge to eliminate this pernicious toxin from dentistry around the world for the last two decades. He spoke with Dr Mercola of mercola.com
The good news is that, over the past few years, the tide has decidedly shifted in our favour, and is picking up speed.
“First of all is the point that consumer demand is really turning up the heat on dentists,’Charlie says. ‘Dentists are increasingly (becoming) mercury-free.'”
But it’s not over yet; there are still hurdles to overcome before total victory can be claimed.
If amalgam is so dangerous, why are dentists still using it?
The main reason mercury remained in use for so long is because of the “iron triangle” – the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), state Dental Boards, and the American Dental Association (ADA) – put a system in place that forced dentists to hide the truth, and kept the public clueless to the fact that “silver fillings” contain mercury.
There’s less silver in amalgam than mercury. The name refers to the colour only, while hiding the fact that 50 percent of amalgam is mercury – a known neurotoxin. As explained by Charlie:
“The Dental Boards stopped dentists from telling patients about the mercury. The Food and Drug Administration sanctioned the entire system.
The American Dental Association, with its patents on amalgam, promoted amalgam as a silver filling. They still do that. (When we began) that was what we faced – only three percent of the dentists in America were mercury-free in the mid-1990s.”
Since then, we’ve seen enormous progress in efforts to eliminate this poison from the field of dentistry, where it serves absolutely no purpose in the 21st century. There are far safer and overall better filling materials available today, so there’s really no justification to keep using a toxic substance.
Dental Boards Have Now Been Defeated
Today, the FDA still presents a major barrier, but the other two parts of that iron triangle have been defeated. Dental boards no longer silence dentists, and dentists may freely speak out against mercury and may advertise and advocate mercury-free dentistry.
In the past, they risked losing their license or going to jail for speaking out against the status quo of amalgam. As an attorney, Charlie actually helped end the gag rule against dentists, and helped some dentists get their licenses reinstated.
Despite such progress, about half of all Americans still do not know that amalgam contains mercury. In fact, a quarter of the public thinks the main component is silver.
“It’s an intentional deception by the American Dental Association that the Food and Drug Administration has supported and encouraged for all these years,’Charlie says.
“The FDA supports this cabal and this lack of information. In fact, in their rule they say they’d like more amalgam use, not less! That’s pretty outrageous.'”
If Your Dentist Still Uses Amalgam, Switch to One Who Doesn’t
According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), about half of all American dentists are now practicing mercury-free dentistry, which is a huge achievement.
In every community in America, you can find a mercury-free dentist, and I urge you to keep looking until you find one. You can use the seven links at the bottom of this page to help you find one.
“Never go to a dentist that uses mercury fillings on anybody; on the welfare child, on the young, on the old, on the black or white, or the Asian, or on anyone. Do not go to that dentist. Don’t give them one dollar, one euro, one pound, one peso, or one Australian dollar. Go to a mercury-free dentist; the men and women who only put safe materials ineveryone’smouth,”Charlie advises.
If you’re leaving a dentist because he or she still uses amalgam, tell them the reason why you’re leaving
Because they need to know that mercury in dentistry will no longer be tolerated.
Mercury-free dentistry should not be viewed as an exclusive or exclusionary club. We want theentireprofession to be mercury-free. If your dentist says, “We won’t give you mercury if you don’t want it,” be sure to respond by saying, “I’m sorry doctor, but you shouldn’t give it toanyone.”
The reason for this is because many of the poorest and most vulnerable among us are also the least educated on this issue. And they keep getting amalgam, which can only harm them even more over the long term.
By standing up to dentists that fail to protect ALL of their patients, we can help those who need protection the most but have the least means to stand up for themselves. With enough economic pressure, the dentists who are still usingmercury fillings will eventually switch over to stay in business.
Now, if you have amalgam fillings, you’re probably going to want to have them removed at some point. But be careful. Just as many dentists are still convinced amalgam is safe to put in, many are under-informed about the dangers associated with taking them out. Removal of mercury fillings goes beyond just finding a mercury-free dentist; the dentist must have additional training.
The ADA Has Also Been Defeated
The American Dental Association will never use the word “mercury.” They don’t want to talk about mercury and the amalgam patents the ADA holds is the reason why. The ADA is on the wrong side of this issue, but the Minamata Convention on Mercury was a game changer that even the ADA can no longer stand against, because now we have aglobalposition against amalgam and for mercury-free industry.
The ADA fought vigorously to keep amalgam out of the mercury treaty, but they failed because amalgam is a major environmental pollutant. Getting amalgam included in the Minamata Convention was also largely due to the worldwide grassroots efforts initiated by the World Alliance for Mercury-Free Dentistry.
Formed in 2010, the World Alliance for Mercury-Free Dentistry has vice presidents in South America, Europe, Africa, the Island States, South Asia, East Asia, the Pacific State, the Oceania region, and the Middle East. All of whom run their own non-profit groups.
“The World Dental Federation, which is the American Dental Association on steroids, just came (to the Minamata convention) with a bunch of older white guys in suits. It was so funny. We came with women and men of all colours, from all parts of the world, speaking all major languages,’Charlie says.
‘We were the most effective team to get amalgam into the convention and now implement it — because we are all over the world now working to end amalgam. For example, there are mercury-free dental hospitals in Cameroon and in Eastern India. There are mercury-free dentals schools in Nigeria and Bangladesh.
There have been national stakeholder conferences to end amalgam in the Philippines and Paraguay. Quite significantly, in Côte d’Ivoire, the Ivory Coast, this year there was a conference where 13 nations in Africa sent representatives… We worked for two days on how to transition dentistry in Africa from amalgam to mercury-free dentistry.'”
The Minamata Convention on Mercury ultimately resulted in a World Health Organisation (WHO) treaty signed by 120 countries, including the US, which places a deadline on ending theuse of mercury in dentistry. The treaty needs 50 countries to ratify it. While most countries signed it, only 25 so far have ratified it; the first of which was the US.
This treaty requires immediate action to phase down the use of amalgam. Phasing down means you make efforts to decrease use until you get to zero. In fact, the treaty can be amended to require zero usage because it’s in the appendix. That was the battle the World Alliance for Mercury-Free Dentistry won against the ADA, which wanted amalgam listed elsewhere in the treaty.
“So, the roadmap is there,’Charlie says.‘In fact, amalgam is one of those products that have a very specific roadmap: change insurance, change government programs to favour alternatives, change the dental school curriculum, and educate consumers. We have a booklet (describing these) phase-down steps, printed in English, Spanish, and French. It’s been distributed throughout the world.'”
Next Step: Take on the FDA
At present, the US FDA is the barrier. The FDA refuses to take a stand against amalgam. For example, the FDA doesn’t require dentists to disclose the presence of mercury in amalgam to their patients as a matter of rule. They also keep promoting use of the term “silver fillings,” even though it’s clearly misleading and deceptive.
“We have pushed them; they push back. A couple of years ago, the FDA chief of public affairs director wrote to the deputy commissioner and said, ‘We need to have a communications end game for Charlie Brown.’ Well, I’m happy to say that both of those guys are gone from the FDA and I’m still here,”Charlie says.
In September, Consumer’s for Dental Choice will launch a more ambitious plan to tackle the FDA.
Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, departed Abuja on Sunday, August 16, 2015 to represent President Muhammadu Buhari at a peace mediation summit on the situation in South Sudan on Monday in Addis Ababa.
Yemi Osinbajo, Vice-President of Nigeria. Photo credit: profyemiosibanjo.com
The summit will be on the platform of the Inter-Governmental Authority, IGAD Plus. IGAD is the regional trade group of eight African countries from the Horn of Africa, Nile Valley and the Great Lakes.
Joining IGAD for this important peace effort are a number of leading African nations including Nigeria, and others like the United States, China, United Nations, European Union and African Union, among others in the international community.
The Vice-President, who will join other leaders from the continent and outside including the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Hailemariam Dessalegn, will return to Abuja later on Monday.
The Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, has disclosed that his principal will not request any journalist to “kill” stories for him.
GOCOP dinner: L-R: Senior Special Assistant on Media to the President, Malam Garba Shehu; Special Adviser on Media to the President, Mr. Femi Adesina; and the President, Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP), Malachy Agbo, at the dinner for the presidential spokesmen
Adesina said instead of doing that, the administration will rather encourage newsmen to run stories that will critically examine the workings of government and provide it with the way forward.
A statement on Sunday by the President of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP), Malachy Agbo, said Adesina said these on Thursday at a dinner held for him and other presidential spokesmen by the online publishers.
Also hosted by the GOCOP members were the Senior Special Assistant on Media to President Buhari, Malam Garba Shehu, and the Senior Special Assistant in the Office of the Vice President, Laolu Akande.
Adesina said the first thing the President told him when he assumed office was: “Always tell me the truth.”
He said Buhari was emphatic when he equally told him that as a General he loved to argue, but would always bow to superior arguments.
He added: “The President told me: ‘Please do not fail to argue with me.'”
Adesina is one of its Trustees of GOCOP.
Adesina said Buhari has vowed to run an open and transparent government so much that he would have nothing to hide and would have no cause to want to ask for any story to be “killed”.
He said the only thing he asked is that for any news item, the Presidency should be allowed the opportunity to state its side before being put in the public domain.
Adesina commended the online publishers for coming together to form a group, even as he advised them to look out for spoilers, gate crashers and those who might hide under the canopy of online publishing to damage the reputation of innocent public officers.
He said: “There is a saying that one bad coin can spoil hundreds of other coins.
“My advice is that you should not allow any of your members to use the platform to malign innocent people.
“You should also find a way of sanitising the social media practitioners who just sit in their bedrooms to churn out news without professional touch.”
A group photograph of GOCOP members with the presidential spokesment
Also speaking, Shehu thanked members of the Guild for the support they gave him when he handled the media and publicity department of All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council (APCPPC) as Director.
According to him, the APCPPC was the poorest in terms of resources, “but the richest in terms of people’s goodwill.
“And the online publishers were the greater part of that process.”
Akande similarly acknowledged the contribution of the online media and the social media in the actualisation of the Buhari Presidency.
He advised Nigerians to adopt the government as their own because “this is the change we have been talking about”.
Earlier, Agbo had assured the presidential spokesmen of the support and cooperation of the members, even as he appealed to them to always make themselves available for any news item that requires clarification.
He assured them that members of the Guild, who are veterans in the journalism profession, would continue to support them with prayer to achieve success in their assignment.
Several other GOCOP members who spoke at the occasion commended the presidential media team for recognising the important role of the online media in modern information dissemination and appealed to them to keep it up.
Experts from governments and the public and private sectors across Latin America will gather at this year’s Latin American and Caribbean Carbon Forum (LACCF), which will take place from 9 to 11 September in Santiago de Chile, Chile’s capital and largest city. The objective of the meeting is to discuss the region’s climate ambition and its contribution towards a new, universal climate change agreement that will be reached in Paris at the end of the year.
Santiago in Chile will host this year’s LACCF. Photo credit: kuoni.co.uk
This year’s LACCF comes only three months before the Paris climate conference and is therefore an important opportunity for stakeholders in the region to exchange ideas, experiences and best practices on climate action.
Experts will also discuss ways to move towards carbon neutral economies. The LACCF will provide a collaborative platform at a time when Parties must submit their climate action plans (known as Intended Nationally Determined Contributions – INDCs) and explore options to increase their INDC’s ambition.
Topics of particular importance will include carbon pricing and markets, flexible mechanisms such as the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) tools, Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs), climate finance, low emission development policies and low carbon technology solutions.
The LACCF 2015 will assist the LAC region in understanding global markets and accessing green investment through a number of sessions, side-events and networking opportunities, building on the success of last year’s forum in Bogotá, Colombia. Participants at the forum will have the opportunity to liaise with senior UNFCCC officials and with representatives of the Latin American and the Carribean Regional Collaboration centres.
The forum is organised by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) along with the UNEP-DTU Partnership, the Latin American Energy Organisation (Olade), the International Emissions Trading Association (IETA), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP), the World Bank Group (WBG), and the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF).
Under the aegis of the FGN/UNDP 8th Country Programme, a three-day forum that ended in Makurdi has validated three technical reports, under a programme aimed at enhancing Disaster Risk Management (DRM) in the country
The Director General, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Muhammed Sani Sidi, has identified the FGN/UNDP 8th Country Programme validation as very critical to Nigeria in general and the agency in particular.
According to the DG who spoke Wednesday at the opening of a three-day Validation Workshop on FGN/UNDP 8th Country Programme that held at the Hallydays Hotel and Resort, Makurdi in Benue State, the programme would greatly enhance Disaster Risk Management (DRM) in the country.
Muhammed Sani Sidi of NEMA. Photo credit: elombah.com
Sidi, who was represented by Vincent Owam, Deputy Director (SAR), NEMA, charged participants to participate professionally so that the objective of the workshop would be met.
Stressing further, he gave special thanks to the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN), United Nations Development programme (UNDP) and other partners for supporting the programme.
Essentially, NEMA is benefiting from the FGN/ UNDP 8th country programme in the area of strengthening the capacity of NEMA and other relevant agencies to coordinate, promote and participate in preparedness, mitigation and response to threats, crisis and changes.
Project reports on subjects like: Mainstream gender in Disaster Risk Management (DRM) policies, planning and frameworks; Developing National DRM Information and Communication Systems; and Developing capacity for undertaking disaster risk identification, monitoring and assessment had been submitted by project consultants.
As part of the finalisation of the projects, participants at the forum set out to validate the reports.
Prof. Emmanuel Olukayode Oladipo
Speaking on the second day of the workshop’s technical session, Professor Emmanuel Oladipo of the University of Lagos who chaired the session, noted that disaster risk management is imperative in addressing disasters in the country.
According to him, the validation workshop is a step in the right direction in ensuring that the country has a viable data on risk management, adding that the process is not exhaustive as the documents stand to be scaled up in future.
In his vote of thanks on the last day of the workshop on Friday, Deputy Director, Department of Disaster Risk Reduction, NEMA, Kayode Fagbemi, who thanked participants for their attendance, said, “We are evolving as an agency that is why we organised this workshop for your help in improving the documents we proposed for effective disaster management, before validation for the FGN/UNDP 8th Country Support Programme.”
“We are trying to identify gaps and fill them up,” he added.
The workshop had participants from different technical groups such as the academia, civil society organisations (CSOs), media and ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), among others.
To kick-start the implementation of its Country Programme for 2014-2017, UNDP in January 2014 held a three-day work-planning workshop with representatives from the six states selected as implementing partners: Anambra, Ekiti, Gombe, Kogi, Niger and Sokoto. Together, UNDP and the states’ representatives reached an agreement on the main elements of proposed development cooperation and produced draft annual work plans accordingly.
Nigeria Country Director of UNDP, Dr. Pa Lamin Beyai. Photo credit: ng.undp.org
The consultations, led by UNDP’s Country Director, Dr. Pa Lamin Beyai, were intensive and hands-on. They focused on fine-tuning the common areas of programme design, on discussing a Memorandum of Understanding to guide the development partnership.
The planning process was intensively consultative and inclusive. It started with the national vision, as contained in Nigeria’s Vision 20:2020 strategic plan, and with the development challenges and priorities of each state, a synopsis of which was shared.
The Country Director emphasised UNDP’s development mandate in response to national and state priorities. He expressed happiness at the high level of representation from the states – which included a Secretary to the State Government and Commissioners of Budget and Planning ministries. The Country Director commended the states for both financial commitment (counterpart cost-sharing) as well as their focus on crafting meaningful activities that are linked to the UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) and its implementation plan (UNDAP), as well as the UNDP Strategic Plan.
This planning discussion took place against a rapidly evolving funding environment. Both constraints and opportunities were emphasised. There was consensus around the need to craft development programmes that focus on those areas where partners’ finite resources can make the most impact– or the “most bang for the buck” – in line with corporate direction and changing development landscape. The planning workshop was an important opportunity to build partnerships and mobilise resources for the Nigeria programme, and to leverage core resources (‘TRAC’) as a catalyst to attract counterpart cost-financing. Indeed, a measure of the success of the workshop was the commitment by the states to contribute two dollars for each development dollar provided by UNDP Nigeria. In addition to the critical role of resource mobilisation, the planning workshop also demonstrated inherent capacity building elements. By holding a major workshop of this nature with the partner states, UNDP enhanced the planning capacities of the states – along the lines of Results Based Management.
The teams from the states were led by the following high level officials:
• Mrs. Michelle Onugbolu (Anambra State Programme Manager)
• Hon. Oyebanji Abiodun (Ekiti State Commissioner of Planning and Budget)
• Hon. Danladi Mohammed (Gombe State Commissioner for Economic Planning)
• Hon. Osaniashi Olatunji (Kogi State Commissioner for Budget and Planning)
• Mallam Idris Kusogi (Niger State Director, State Planning Commission), and
• Alhaji Sahabi Isah Gada (Sokoto State Secretary to the Government).
Mr. S.O Elohor, the Deputy Director, International Cooperation of the National Planning Commission, the coordinating ministry for development cooperation, represented the Executive Secretary of the Commission at the meeting with the states. He charged the states to be focused on their development activities and to plan for effective development results.
Image makers in the Presidency on Thursday in Abuja had dinner with officials of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP). The meeting held at the corporate head offices of Premium Times Limited at Wuse 2.
The gathering offered both parties the opprtunity to interact and share ideas towards moving the nation forward.
The Presidential spokesmen were: Senior Special Assistant to the President, Garba Shehu; Special Adviser to the President, Femi Adesina; and Special Assistant to the Vice-President, Laolu Akande.
GOCOP president, Malachy Agbo, congratulated the spokesmen for their respective appointments and assured them of the support of GOCOP members, adding that they (the spokesmen) should be open and available whenever the online publishers and their staff needed information and/or clarifications on issues.
The spokesmen, who said that online journalism had come to stay in the nation, promised that they would do all in their ability to ensure that necessary informaion gets to the media executives, while giving them (the publishers) a freehand to carry out their duty.
L-R: Garba Shehu, Femi Adesina and Malachy Agbo
Laolu Akande (left) with Malachy Agbo
L-R: Musikilu Mojeed of Premium Times, Femi Adesina and Malachy Agbo
The Environmental Rights Action/ Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) organised a Water Summit with the theme: Connecting Local Outrage to Global Resistance of Corporate Control of Water on 11-12 August 2015. The summit was organised in partnership with Corporate Accountability International, the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service, Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE), Public Services International (PSI), Transnational Institute, Asian Peoples’ Movement on Debt & Development, and Freedom from Debt Coalition.
Public water provision in a rural community in the Federal Capital Territory
Participants were drawn from local, national and international partners in Ghana, Belgium, the Philippines and the United States, representing a growing global movement committed to resisting corporate control of water and securing water as a human right. Solidarity messages were received from notable civil society actors and policy stakeholders in Nigeria. They include Ms. Joe Odumakin, Chairperson of Women Arise for Change Initiative; Wale Okediran and Uche Onyeagucha former parliamentarians; Mr. Auwal Rafsanjani, Executive Director, Civil Society Legislative Centre (CISLAC); Greg Akili, Project Coordinator, Corporate Accountability International (CAI); Priscilla Achakpa, Executive Director of Women Environmental Programme; Sani Baba of Public Service International (PSI); and Shayda Naficy of Corporate Accountability International.
Key on the agenda was the interrogation of water privatisation in all its ramifications and implication on communities and peoples; solidarity between civil society groups, labour unions, activists, policy makers and the media around public-public partnerships as a strong alternative to privatisation in the water sector; and exploring of policy options to strengthen democratic control of water.
It also reassessed and denounced the misleading marketing myth of Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) as just another form of water privatisation promoted by the World Bank and other financial institutions.
In his welcome remarks titled: Water as a human right and communal good: the way forward, ERA/FoEN Executive Director, Dr. Godwin Ojo, noted that the summit was aimed at honing the tools needed to stop water privatisation in Lagos and other cities faced with the challenges of privatisation.
The keynote address was delivered by Nnimmo Bassey of the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF).
Following exhaustive deliberations and contributions, participants observed that:
The World Bank and other corporate powers are aggressively promoting privatisation as a false panacea to lack of water access in Africa.
Awareness of the human right to water is still very low.
Traditionally, it is a taboo to sell water in most communities in Africa.
Failures of good governance and profit-oriented management have caused the water systems in Lagos and other cities to decline markedly over the last 15 years.
Land grabs by multinational corporations have increased in Africa and pose serious challenges on access to water, thus depriving locals of their right to safe and potable water. Corporate takeover of water sources in Lagos and cities across Africa is a new form of colonialism.
Women’s rights and the rights of other vulnerable groups are a central concern in the realization of the human right to water, but are not accorded priority in government planning in Lagos and across Africa. Women and children are at the receiving end of water shortages and inaccessibility.
Reckless oil extraction activities, especially in the Niger Delta, are contributing factors in denying local communities access to water.
Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) in the water sector are not the solution to the water challenge, but rather a new form of colonialism aggressively marketed by the World Bank and its corporate partners, that defines success in terms of profit rather than universal affordable water access.
It was therefore agreed that:
Privatisation, under any guise including a PPP, is not a solution to lack of access to water.
A bill to guarantee access to water as a human right should be sponsored at the Lagos State House of Assembly and at national levels to forestall plans to use Lagos and other Nigerian cities as the laboratory for water privatisation in Nigeria and across the African Region.
There is the need to link the governance issues at the domestic front and across Africa with the robust global movement that is resisting privatisation of water.
A growing global trend of reclaiming and building strong public water systems – including through remunicipalisation – offers opportunities to build local democratic governance of water sources and infrastructure.
Privatisation is a justification or excuse for introducing market forces that cannot guarantee rights to water.
The failure of the World Bank’s privatisation of the water system in Manila, Philippines, which has been marketed to government officials across Africa, is a cautionary example of the dire consequences that would face Lagos if it pursued the PPP model.
Women and vulnerable groups should be accorded priority in plans to guarantee access to water.
The linkage between water access and the environment and sanitation is important and therefore should be at the front burner of campaigns against the privatisation of water.
Local communities at the grassroots level, and in particular Community Development Associations (CDAs), must be fully integrated into campaigns on [the human right to water].
The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) should be used to demand information on funds granted for public water projects over the last three decades.
The need for stakeholders to assert their identities as ‘citizens,’ rather than accept being designated as ‘consumers’ through privatisation and commodification.
An Africa Coalition Against Water Privatisation has been established as a network of civil society and development experts carrying out targeted actions towards promoting the human right to water. This initiative will address the challenges of governance, human rights and corruption in the water sector across the African continent.
An African Women Water Network has been established, working in coordination with the Africa Coalition Against Water Privatisation.
The Summit stands in solidarity with the Water Citizens Network of Ghana in saying NO to prepaid water meters.
The monthly surcharge on electricity tariff stopped by the Nigerian Senate should also be extended to the water sector.
Citizen engagement processes that are funded and supported by international financial institutions, that promote PPP privatisation models as the presumed goal and/or neglect input from independent citizen advocates, are rejected.
A probe will be launched of all loans and funding for the existing water system and infrastructure managed by the Lagos State Water Corporation (LSWC).
The Abuja skyline and indeed the Nigerian property market is poised for a remarkable transformation as construction gets underway for “The Address Hotels + Resorts” in Abuja, by Eagle Hills, a global developer of iconic real estate assets. It is a core component of the Abuja Centenary City, “A city within a city” and designed as a new social and economic hub for Nigeria.
An impression of the Abuja Centenary City
The project is a multifunctional development that offers a complete cosmopolitan lifestyle to its residents, as well as serves as a hub for the wider community. The Centenary City, a smart, inter-connected urban centre that draws on the innovative technologies, will have a central business district, a financial centre, a museum and cultural centre to promote African and global arts, world-class hotels, business and technology parks, residential districts, an 18-hole golf course, industry centres, sports and leisure facilities and community amenities.
Eagle Hills, a UAE-based private real estate investment and development company, has reconfirmed The Address Resorts as a core element of the Abuja Centenary City, its premier lifestyle free trade zone development in Abuja. The Address Abuja, which is already under rapid construction, promises to introduce a new concept in Nigeria for hospitality and residential living with serviced villas and apartments.
The Address Abuja in Centenary City is designed to work in harmony with nature: an exclusive community becoming part of the natural landscape and offering both an impressive downtown skyline and peaceful suburban living. Conceptualised by one of the world’s finest hospitality labels, The Address Residence serviced apartments, will be the city’s most exclusive uptown address, offering the pinnacle of urban life, ultra-modern towers and a breathtaking view of Centenary City. Residents will be able to enjoy a host of world-class amenities both inside and around their homes from fully equipped gyms, swimming pools and premier wellness facilities to closely located convenience stores and services.
It is set in a spectacular position, offering breathtaking views of Centenary City and the surrounding landscape. The podium deck is the front door of the project, featuring a carefully detailed complex of private decks, infinity pools, concierge services, and the ultimate in club facilities, all within a resort atmosphere. The development aims to boost the Nigerian hospitality sector, bringing it in par with international standards across the globe.
Mohamed Alabbar, a board member of Eagle Hills, said: “Centenary City Abuja is a fitting tribute to the Nigerian nation. The 1,300-hectare master-planned community, is envisaged as a spectacular city hub and the largest of its kind in Africa. The Address Residence Abuja will be the latest premier property embodying the company’s progressive spirit. The project features a residential community consisting of four- to 10-bedroom luxury villas and one- to three-bedroom apartments.”
Philippe Zuber, Chief Operating Officer of The Address Hotels + Resorts, said: “The Address Abuja, the five star premium brand brings a new identity to the hospitality and service offering in Nigeria and the region. The Address chooses central locations to offer its customers the best in entertainment, leisure and overall convenience, guaranteeing a first-class hospitality experience for every resident and guest. The Address Hotels + Resorts group philosophy is to offer a more personal and approachable experience to guests in a lifestyle environment, whether it be business, leisure or group travelers. Its motto ‘Where life happens’ demonstrates the versatile approach of The Address to servicing every customer, guaranteeing a first-class hospitality experience for every guest; making it the perfect addition to Centenary City.
With excellent connectivity to the main highway, 30 minutes from the city centre and less than 10 minutes from the airport, The Address Abuja in Centenary City is located in the heart of this spectacular development.
The arrival of The Address Hotel in Nigeria at Centenary City Abuja is symbolic of Eagle Hills’ approach to developing flagship mixed-use master-planned communities in high growth cities of the future. The urban expansion and renewal projects positively impact business and tourism while also ensuring sustainable economic growth. When completed, Centenary City will be an interconnected, smart and intelligent city that will create several thousand new jobs and promote other sectors such as retail, hospitality and leisure.
Eagle Hills is a global developer of iconic real estate assets and a provider of premium lifestyles that helps countries raise their global profiles to new heights. Their properties aim to become flagship city destinations that invigorate nations. Backed by unprecedented credentials in creating mixed-use master planned communities, Eagle Hills Company builds residential projects that captures the very best the city has to offer, and is a catalyst to urban expansion and sustainable economic growth.
