Abuja-based environment sector experts have decried the indiscriminate dumping of wastes in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Officials of one of the AEPB waste evacuation contractors, on duty in Garki Area of Abuja
The experts, who spoke to in separate interviews, condemned the indiscriminate dumping of wastes in drains, gutters and streets.
Mr Osi Braimah, Director, Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), said the board was presently handling approximately 500 tonnes of mixed wastes per day.
“These include pet bottles, organic and food materials as well as all forms of domestic wastes.
“We really encourage recycling because this will help us to increase the life span of the dumpsites as the one, we are using now is about 90 hectares and it is filling up every day.
“If residents of the FCT begin to implement wastes recycling, minimisation and reuse, it will extend the life of the dumpsite.
“They can also earn money as pet bottles are sold for a fee and papers can be recycled too.
“We strongly encourage residents of FCT to try all these out for a clean city and for profit,” he said.
The director maintained that plastic pollution has become a problem to the world, saying Nigeria was not an exception.
“We also need to join hands to work on getting plastics that can biodegrade in the environment,” he said.
Dr Joseph Onoja, Director General (D-G), Nigerian Conservation Foundation, decried the attitude of persons who dump refuse in drainages that were properly constructed.
Onoja called on the Federal Government to step up its regulations and sanctions.
“We have beautiful laws in Nigeria, but they don’t bite as they should, so we would continue to encourage the government to implement these laws to ensure that things were done the way they should,” he said.
A Rivers State-based advocacy group, the Kebetkache Women Development and Resource Centre, has urged the Rivers State Government to implement the National Action Plan on Gender and Climate Change.
Regional participants at the 2022 Women’s Climate Assembly in Port Harcourt, Nigeria
The Project Officer, Mrs Confidence Otikor, made the appeal at a policy engagement with stakeholders in Port Harcourt on Saturday, March 16, 2024.
She urged the state government to embrace gender-responsive budgeting in order to cushion the effects of climate change on the people.
“Focus should be on frontlines in climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies,” she added.
It will be recalled that the Federal Government introduced the action plan in 2020 to steer the policy’s implementation at the federal, state and local government levels.
The plan was designed to alleviate the adverse effects of climate change that are posing significant threat to the social and economic well-being of people, particularly women.
According to Otikor, implementing the action plan will help to address the challenges encountered by women in communities that are prone to environmental challenges.
“This dialogue is organised to find out stakeholders’ level of preparation to comply with the action plan at the ministries.
“The extensive engagement reveals the need for substantial efforts with civil society organisations to collaborate with the ministries to achieve the plan’s objectives.
“As a group, Kebetkache is not satisfied with the current level of implementation in the state, so further actions are needed to address the gaps,” she said.
Otikor urged non-governmental organisations to always speak out by creating awareness about issues affecting women.
“Involvement of NGOs in the action plan will go a long way to bring out the need for its implementation.
“We urge the state governments to speedily domesticate the action plan across all the ministries, departments and agencies in the states,” she said.
Mrs Nkem Odoya, an official of the Forestry Department, Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture, said that the ministry had initiated a poverty reduction programme to support people affected by climate change.
Odoya stated that the state government was also running a programme that trained and empowered agriculture entrepreneurs at the local government level.
“We also have a nutritional programme targeting vulnerable children and women in five local government areas,” he said.
Chief Constant Meju, the Coordinator, Centre for Media, Environment and Development Communications, expressed concerns over the limited support given to women by the state Agriculture Ministry.
She said that the dialogue was a crucial platform for civil society organisations to engage with the state government on climate change and gender policies.
Meju highlighted the importance of government-CSO collaboration to achieve shared objectives.
She said that some communities in the state were facing severe environmental degradation due to oil extraction activities.
“The coastal areas have been damaged by flooding, yet the government seem not to be doing anything.
“The society wants to see the government showing empathy over the plight of women in communities affected by degradation,” she said.
Some environment experts in Abuja have urged Nigerians to restore forest habitats in their homes, to mitigate the current heat wave from climate change.
Heatwave
They made the call on Sunday, March 17, 2024, in separate interviews due to the recent heat wave in the country.
Executive Director, Global Initiative for Food Security and Ecosystem Preservation (GIFSEP), Dr Michael David, said heat wave was the drying of streams and rivers.
He urged Nigerians to plant more trees and restore forest habitats in homes to mitigate climate change.
“To address the impact of heat wave and the drying of rivers and streams requires a more comprehensive strategy on climate adaptation process, water management and generally ecosystem restoration.”
The executive director added that the factors being experienced in the country were due to climate change characterised by the intensity and duration of the heat.
David said there was urgent need to safeguard water resources for future generations.
“Heat wave exposes to drought and contributes to health problems in humans and wildlife, leading to high break of diseases.
“Heat wave causes a lot of socio-economic impacts on communities, water scarcity, raises a lot of conflict in communities; livelihoods are affected as well as animals and farmers. Communities are also displaced, leading to migration of people.”
Mr Ene Owoh, the National Coordinator, Clean-up Nigeria (CUN), said it was important to note that water and climate change were intellect.
He said: “Climate change affects water supply in several ways from the present unpredictable rain falls to the depreciating water levels in streams.
“The rising sea levels, the cases of flood and drought, all of these boil down to the climate change.
“The truth be told, climate change has altered the availability of water, thus making it less plentiful in the world.
“Climate change has caused water shortage, drought and the decrease of agricultural produce.
“Let us bear it in mind that any increase in temperature level will have consequence on water level as well as human beings.”
Energy Correspondent of the Champion Newspapers, Ugochukwu Amadi, has emerged as Chairman of the Association of Energy Correspondents of Nigeria (NAEC).
Newly elected executive council members of the Association of Energy Correspondents of Nigeria (NAEC)
His emergence came about after a keenly contested election conducted on Saturday, March 16, 2024, at the Associations National Secretariat in Lagos, Nigeria.
In his acceptance speech, the newly elected chairman said ensuring peace and unity of purpose among members would be a cardinal policy to pursue in the cause of his administration’s tenure.
In other positions, Adeola yusuf of Platforms Africa emerged Vice Chairman, while Peter Uzoho of Thisday Newspaper assumes office as the new General Secretary of NAEC.
AIT’s senior energy correspondent, Anthony Afemike Ebigie, also emerged as Treasurer, with Mohammed Shosanya of Daily Independent taking office as the Financial Secretary of the association.
Earlier, chairman of the electoral committee, Emeka Ugwuanyi, harped on the need for peace and cordial relationship among members, and advised members on the need to continue to love each other in the overall interest of the association.
The tenure of the new Executive Committee is to run from 2024 to 2026.
An exciting new children’s programme, “Dr. Mark’s Animal Show”, commenced streaming on Showmax from Friday, March 15, 2024.
Dr Mark’s Animal Show poster
The 11-part series showcases African wildlife, even as each episode takes a deep dive into a different animal species, from turtles to pangolins, unpacking their remarkable features, the roles they play in ecosystems, and the challenges they face in the wild. Viewers can watch the trailer here.
Produced by the conservation organisation Wild Africa Fund, the show’s arrival on Showmax is said to be timely. 66% of Africa’s wildlife has disappeared in the last 50 years, highlighting the need to educate our children on the reality of African wildlife and the urgent system changes required – all in a way that engages and inspires hope for a different – and better – future. Dr Mark introduces his audience to some of the animals he has rescued from the illegal bushmeat trade for eventual reintroduction to the wild.
The show also features exclusive short messages from pop culture legends, such as Davido, Laycon, Focalistic, Nviiri The Storyteller, and Shekhinah. Coupled with the interactive quizzes embedded in each episode and the real-time questions from the live audience, this new show is sure to spark the minds of little ones across the continent and engage them with the realities of the world and wildlife around them.
Across several African countries, iconic wildlife species (including lions, gorillas, pangolins, leopards, chimpanzees, sea turtles, vultures, and numerous monkey species) are disappearing. This decline highlights the urgent need to raise awareness about these challenges and inspire action to address them, particularly with the younger generation. After all, they are set to be the future protectors of our wildlife.
Dr. Mark urges parents and guardians to watch alongside their children, facilitating discussions on the issues raised and learning about Africa’s biodiversity themselves.
“The arrival of Dr. Mark’s show onto Showmax ensures that more kids, regardless of where they live, will experience this exciting and educational series. This is taking the conservation conversation to new heights. These children will learn the importance of protecting wildlife, understand why we need animals to thrive in the wild and can share important conservation messages with their parents and society,” says Dr. Mark.
Dr. Mark Ofua, a veterinarian in Lagos, Nigeria, discovered his passion for pangolin conservation after visiting the local bush meat markets. Now he works to rescue, rehabilitate and release pangolins back to the wild. Dr. Mark brings over 16 years of experience in providing healthcare solutions for animals.
As Chairman of Pangolin Nigeria Trust, he leads efforts to protect pangolins and their habitats. He also chairs the Saint Mark’s Animal Rescue Foundation, actively involved in rescuing and rehabilitating wildlife.
To help young people understand the importance of effective waste management in accelerating economic growth and sustainable living, the Ecocykle Development Foundation (EDF) has trained over 150 out-of-school children on how to use plastic waste to make eco-bricks.
Ecocykle Development Foundation (EDF) during the capacity-building training it held at Gwani Atiku Tsangaya, Dadin Kowa, Lafia Local Government Area (LGA) in Nasarawa State
The non-profit organisation carried out this exercise as part of its Education and Recycle in Slums Initiative to inspire behavioural change among young people and provide real-life solutions to create a zero-waste and pollution-free society.
Aliyu Sadiq, EDF’s executive director, explained that, in addition to the aforementioned, the project strives to bridge the gap between local innovation and global knowledge.
Speaking at the capacity-building exercise his organisation organised at Gwani Atiku Tsangaya, Dadin Kowa, Lafia Local Government Area (LGA) in Nasarawa State, Sadiq expressed confidence that the beneficiaries, who are between the ages of 10 and 20, would use their newly acquired knowledge to decrease unemployment and provide the necessary solution in the waste industry.
“Our expectations,” he said, “are for the project to harness the creativity of these young teenagers into developing sustainable solutions that can directly reduce waste pollution in communities, create green jobs, and reduce the poverty rate in Nigeria.”
But to live up to these prospects, in the view of the environmental rights campaigner, the government, however, needs to revitalise the numerous abandoned recycling facilities that are currently dormant around the country.
He went on to say that this is important because, if successful, these facilities will serve as hubs for training and education, addressing issues related to environmental preservation and furthering Nigeria’s goal of green economic development.
In keeping with this belief, the proponent of the circular economy stated that his establishment intends to train more than 1,000 youth in sustainability skills to improve waste management in the country.
Peace Kpaka, a community volunteer in charge of the OYA Recycle initiative in Lafia, the capital of Nassarawa State, sees this intervention as an opportunity to provide rural residents – particularly the less fortunate – with the information they need to spearhead the promotion of sustainable growth.
He noted that the event was extremely interactive, with the beneficiaries asking crucial questions that demonstrated the depth of their creative thinking abilities to solve problems using the appropriate information, knowledge, and skills.
Lauritta Boniface, director of programmes and co-founder of EDF, who witnessed the training, expressed satisfaction with the project’s impact on the participants.
According to her, more than 400 people have been trained in three communities under the OYA Recycle project, and she is overwhelmed by the programme’s impact on those who have been trained so far.
In appreciation, the attendees expressed gratitude to EDF for its vision of organising and enlightening marginalised communities about the advantages of appropriate trash management.
Muhammad Sharifudeen, Mallam Atiku Sangaya’s coordinator, urges the government to think outside the box when it comes to developing initiatives and policies that encourage young people to acquire skills to create jobs and foster environmental safeguards.
Two national climate change and energy champions, Sam Onuigbo and Solomon Maren, have provided reflections on the fuel subsidy removal policy being implemented by President Bola Tinubu and how the reform can be leveraged to better advance the nascent energy transition agenda in Nigeria.
Sam Onuigbo (top) and Solomon Maren
Both leaders spoke as Guests of Honour at the workshop jointly organised by the Centre for Climate Change and Development, Alex Ekwueme Federal University (CCCD, AE-FUNAI) and the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) in London to present findings from a recent report conducted on Nigeria’s subsidy reform and its energy transition agenda, held virtually on March 14, 2024, with stakeholders from across the globe in attendance.
The CCCD and ODI reports provided rigorous and evidence-analysis of the fuel subsidy removal that was introduced by President Bola Tinubu on the day he took office on May 29, 2023, and made several recommendations on policies and reforms needed to make the reform more progressive and climate friendly.
Onuigbo, Vice President (Africa) of the of the Global Legislators Organisation for a Balanced Environment (GLOBE) and sponsor of Nigeria’s Climate Change Act, 2021, while speaking at the workshop, said that the government of President Bola Tinubu deserves commendation for being bold and courageous enough to remove the fuel subsidy. He acknowledged current negative economic impact on citizens, particularly those in the lower class of the economy, but insisted that the subsidy was a big weight that needed to be removed to avoid the debt spiral and the collapse of the economy. It will be recalled that, according to figures from the NNPC, Nigeria spent N4.39 trillion ($9.7 billion) on petrol subsidy in 2022.
Onuigbo noted that allocations to states have significantly increased following the removal of fuel subsidies and argued that it is imperative that those entrusted with the responsibilities of governance at the state level apply these extra resources in a well-focused manner to drive sustainable development goals, including those of energy transition. He said this should be possible because the Nigerian President also signed the Electricity Act into law a few days after assuming office, which removed electricity from the exclusive list and put it on the concurrent list to enable other tiers of government to get involved in the process of energy provision and transitioning away from fossil fuels.
Onuigbo reiterated the importance of a balanced energy mix in Nigeria’s energy portfolio and the need for effective engagement of the private sector to mobilise the much-needed resources to advance Nigeria on a sustainable path to development.
On his own part, Solomon Maren, National Coordinator of African Parliamentary Network on Climate Action, said that the fuel subsidy in Nigeria was like a time bomb waiting to explode and reiterated that President Tinubu should be praised for his boldness in addressing the matter. He recalled that the Nigerian economy was almost grounded when it became difficult to meet its borrowing obligations amidst a porous border, which aided in the smuggling of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) into neighbouring countries and, of course, corruption. Maren said that continuous payment of subsidies was a contradiction of the country’s commitment to achieve net zero by 2060.
Maren said several steps can be taken to make the subsidy reform support energy transition and climate action in Nigeria. He advocated for the introduction of clean cooking at the rural level, including solar-powered stoves, as part of efforts to reduce emissions. He also decried the distribution of buses running on PMS for transportation across the states as part of the strategic plan to alleviate the subsidy effects and called on governments at all levels to embrace electric buses with installed solar panels to recharge their batteries.
Maren further highlighted the need to industrialise Nigeria to reduce the effect of foreign exchange fluctuations on the economy. He celebrated the recently commissioned power project in Aba, Abia State, as a shining example of policies that will assist the country in driving effective change through infrastructure development.
In his intervention, Prof. Chukwumerije Okereke, the Director, CCCD, said that given that the exploration, production, and consumption of fossil fuels are main sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Nigeria, the removal of the subsidy by President Tinubu last year could be a major step in reducing fossil fuel-based emissions that are adding to the climate change impact on Nigeria. He, however, noted that several years of experience from around the world have indicated that while it is important to reform fossil fuel regime subsidies, it is also necessary to do that in a way that is consistent with the broader objective of sustainable development and equity and fairness to ensure that the economically disadvantaged pollutions are not made worse off.
The report highlighted that fossil fuel subsidy removal holds the potential to contribute substantively to climate-resilient development through releasing finance for low-carbon and sustainable development imperatives, but notes that policies need to be put in place to ensure that the gains made from the subsidy are channelled to advancing energy transition objectives. The report also calls for more aggressive policies to cushion the adverse distributional impacts, especially on the most economically vulnerable groups.
The report finds that rural and lowest-income households are the worst affected and that lower-income households are vulnerable to an increase in the price of goods. On the gender disaggregated analysis of the welfare effects, female-headed households are disproportionately affected by energy reforms, and this is consistent both in urban and rural areas.
By Gboyega Olorunfemi and Elochukwu Anieze, Research Associates at the Centre for Climate Change and Development, Alex Ekwueme Federal University (CCCD, AE-FUNAI)
President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Mrs Zubaida Umar as the Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
Zubaida Umar
This is contained in a statement by Chief Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, on Friday, March 15, 2024, in Abuja.
Ngelale said the new Director-General of NEMA had over 20 years of work experience in diverse fields, including Human Resources and Finance and Administration.
According to him, she is a member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers and the Institute of Credit Administration.
As Executive Director, Finance and Corporate Services at the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, Umar drove the strategy and repositioning of the bank into a modern, digitised mortgage and financial service provider.
“The President expects that the new Director-General will bring the much-needed financial and operational discipline and refashion the agency into a performance-driven and proactive emergency response provider with a focus on prevention and climate change readiness,” he said.
The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency, (NESREA) has sealed 13 facilities in the FCT for non- compliance to environmental regulations.
NESREA officials sealing a facility
The facilities sealed include Veritas Plastics, Almat Farms, Dayak Nigeria Limited, FIK Contracting Limited, Salis Ventilated Homes Ltd, and Peachville Estate.
Others are Net Construction Nigeria Limited, Sazak Acre Bilogue, Coppa D’alberto Ltd, Efab Properties Ltd, Homes, Phinada Mill and Skippers Electronics.
The Director- General of NESREA, Prof. Aliyu Jauro, while briefing newsmen after the exercise on Friday, March 15, 2024, in Abuja, said the facilities were sealed for various environmental crimes.
Aliyu, who was represented by the Director, Inspection and Enforcement in the agency, Mr Abdulsalam Isa, said due process was followed in closing down the facilities.
Jauro said the exercise was in line with the Presidential bond and a fall out of the Federal Ministry of Environment’s retreat in Kaduna, on Environmental Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement for 2024.
“As part of the NESREA mandate to ensure compliance as well as enforce compliance with extant Environmental Standards, Guidelines, Rules and Regulations in Nigeria.
“The Agency embarked on enforcement to seal 13 recalcitrant facilities in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, on Friday.
“NESREA sealed a total of 13 facilities in the FCT for various environmental crimes,” he said.
Jauro explained that the facilities were shut down for failing to abate environmental concerns ranging from Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), Environmental Audit (EA), Environmental Management Plans, and Environmental Permit, among others.
According to him, these environmental concerns included both the “Green” and “Brown” environment.
“A total of 10 facilities in the green sector and three in the brown sector were sealed.
“The agency had followed due process in clamping down these facilities after exhausting all relevant communications in respect of their environmental status.
“It was observed that some of the facilities earlier sealed had broken the Federal Government seals.
“However, such facilities are to face punitive measures for their actions,” he said.
The NESREA boss said the enforcement would be replicated in all the states of the federation.
“The agency frowns at the high level of non-compliance of facilities to environmental laws of the land, and will go ahead to replicate enforcement in all States of the federation,” he said.
An NGO, Building Blocks for Peace Foundation (BBFORPEACE), on Friday, March 15, 2024, commenced community engagement on promoting proper utilisation of livelihood packages to mitigate climate change in Illela Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
Flooded area in Sokoto. Photo credit: channelstv.com
Addressing the gathering, Mr Samson Shu’aibu, who represented the NGO’s Executive Director, Mr Rafi’u Lawal, said the project is working towards preventing conflicts and initiating peace building strategies on how to address climate change.
“Climate security project means to neutralise the conflict and insecurity stemming from environmental degradation, desert encroachment, degraded pastures and other impacts of climate change in Northwest.
“The project was initiated in recognition of the dynamic ways through which the impacts of climate change stimulated conflict and insecurity in the region.
“Illela in Sokoto state and Jibia in Katsina state are the focused areas of the project,” he said.
Shu’aibu noted that the project, titled “Northwest Climate Peace Hub: A Climate Security Approach to Conflict Prevention”, is being implemented with support from the UNDP Nigeria and the Norwegian Embassy in Abuja.
He identified three key activities that would be implemented during the project to include capacity-building training for youth on dialogue, mediation, reconciliation and climate action.
“In addition to establishing climate and conflict early warning, early response structures and supporting climate activists to plant and nurture trees across Illela local government area,” he noted.
According to him, the objective of the project is to support high risk communities in northwest Nigeria working with youth and women to address climate induced conflicts and adapt to climate change.
Responding on behalf of benefiting community, the District Head of Illela, Alhaji Buhari Abdulrahman, lamented the adverse effects of climate change and the insecurity bedeviling the northern Nigeria.
Abdulrahman appreciated the organisation for coming up with the initiative and expressed the willingness of his community to support the project and ensure its sustainability.
In his remark, the Sole Administrator of Illela LGA, Alhaji Sahabi Isah, who officially flagged-off the project, expressed joy to Building Blocks for Peace as well as their partners for the project and promised to sustain support to it.
