In other to achieve environmental governance in the country, the federal government is working with the private sector to have a sustainable environment, HELEN OJI writes.
In Nigeria, an increased level of consciousness is observable with regards to the complex relationships that existed between development and the quality of the environment. However, there remains much to be done by way of actually developing the mechanism and legislative backing for reconciling environmental imperatives with developmental goals. Nigeria, like many other developing countries, is beset with such environmental problems as desertification, deterioration of urban physical quality land degradation, deforestation, soil erosion, and flooding. It has been established that these problems emanate mainly from human activities created in the quest to achieve a higher level of development. The implication is that sufficient precautions have not been taken to balance development objectives against the need to maintain desirable environmental quality.
Environmental governance
Minister of State for Environment, Alhaji Ibrahim Usman Jibril said Nigeria has strengthened its capacity to achieve environmental governance.
“The federal government of Nigeria has put in place relevant institutional arrangements and mechanisms including legal framework to address various environmental problems facing our country,” he added.
He also said the Nigerian government was working with the private sector as well as promoting innovation in the environment sector to achieve the desired goals, emphasizing that, we are providing enabling environment for private sector participation and partnership in environmental sustainability.
“We are promoting circular economy and clean technologies that will drive research, eco-innovation and actions in various areas, including climate change mitigation and adaption measures and we have initiated the Sovereign Green Bond to raise funds to address environmental problems.
Creating wealth
He further stated that Nigeria was focused on programmes and initiatives that will not only protect the environment but also create wealth; the Government has initiated the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) programme to encourage industry to shift to closed-cycle manufacturing and efficient take-back schemes for remanufacturing and recycling.
This is in line with the tenets of green economy and circular economy in which the use of materials and generations of waste are minimized, and waste is recycled or reused as raw material, and any remaining waste treated in a way that causes minimal damage to the human health and the environment,” he said.
Cleanup exercise
On the cleanup of Ogoni land, the minister had this to say, “Let me use this opportunity to reiterate government’s commitment to the clean-up of Ogoniland and the rest of Niger Delta in the South-South Zone of Nigeria following decades of negative environmental impacts due to oil exploration and exploitation activities.
We have established the Hydrocarbon Pollution and Remediation Project (HYPREP), appointed a coordinator, and put in place a Governing Council (GC) and the Board of Trustees (BoT). In addition, free medical services and potable water are being provided to the communities. It is expected that the actual clean-up exercise will commence between August and September 2018 after the conclusion of the on-going procurement process.”
The minister urged the international body to increase its grant to the West Africa Coastal Constituency of GEF, which Nigeria belongs to and commended the Global Environment Facility (GEF) GEF for its support in the efforts to tackle environmental crimes in the country,
Meanwhile, the development of National Communications under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is key to addressing the numerous ecological challenges facing the nation.
Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Environment, Dr. Shehu Ahmed, who made the submission in Lagos, recently said that the initiative also helps Nigeria to plot its path towards the positive future its citizens collectively desire.
Ahmed spoke while delivering his opening remarks during stakeholder focus workshop for the review of Nigeria’s Draft Third National Communication (TNC) to the UNFCCC.
“The objective of the workshop was to present the draft TNC document to broad stakeholders and private sector for further input and also ascertain that their previous input is properly reflected in the document for the purpose of producing a robust TNC reflecting national circumstances and comparable to other parties to the Convention.
Adverse effects of climate change
Ahmed said: “Nigeria is highly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change, with significant impacts expected in all regions of the country, and in all sectors of the economy. The vulnerability of Nigeria is further compounded by interplay of a variety of factors, including not only our size, but the fragility of our national ecosystems, low level of awareness, human and financial resources, institutional and technological capability.”
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Mr. Muyiwa Odele which is supporting the initiative, said that the organisation, within the framework of partnership with the Department of Climate Change in the Ministry, has over the years provided support aimed at promoting national actions on climate change towards sustainable development.
His words: “Our support is geared at assisting Nigeria meeting its obligations to the UNFCCC through timely preparation and submission of its report – to date we supported the preparation of – the First and Second National Communications, and now the Third Communication.”
Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment, Mr. Babatunde Durosinmu-Etti, underlined the need to set an ambitious emission reduction target and also draft policies that enhance the growth of low carbon technology and a green economy.
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Ganduje: Garlands for workaholic governor
As Kano governor bags Blueprint Award today, BASHIR MOHAMMED, looks at the basket of honours and encomiums Governor Umar Abudullahi Ganduje of Kano state, has collected for sterling performance since he has been in the saddle, over three years ago
Score-card, pedigree for the electorate
It is a well- known tradition in the conventional media today that those calling the shots in the corridors of power, are often seen and judged in accordance with their respective score-card and pedigree for the electorate to be convinced that they have not made a wrong choice.
Those who had excelled in their respected areas of human endeavours, are seen and revered as ones who had satisfactorily lived up to their billings, having been sworn into office with myriad of electoral promises and high expectations placed on their shoulders, knowing the inescapable fact that they were voted to power on the premise of upholding public trust.
Honour to whom is due
Awarding such personalities is done on the basis of being satisfied with the performance of individuals calling the shots, applying a yardstick to put their respective stewardships on a scale of preference, reaching the conclusion that an award has to be given to one who deserved to be honoured when given honour to whom is due.
For a personality of Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, the award to be conferred on him today, by the management of Blueprint Newspapers did not come to the people of Kano state as a great surprise, given his stunning score-card in the saddle of leadership, since he came on board as the executive governor of the state on May,29, 2015.
With the benefit of hindsight and for putting the record straight, one is compelled to take a retrospective look at governor Ganduje’s stellar performance in virtually all areas of human interest in fulfilment of the electoral campaign promises he had made to the electorate.
Gravitas swinging into action
As one voted to power in a land-slide, having succeeded his estranged boss, Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Ganduje, had to the chagrin of his critics, demonstrated his resolve and exhibited a high spirit, courage, charisma and gravitas swinging into action, even in the face of his predecessor’s pugilist vocabulary which often scared those whose experience in politics is diminutive
He had undoubtedly assumed the mantle of leadership with a mission to prove to everyone that he is not a neophyte in the field of politics and his mastery of statecraft is strong enough to prepare him for the odds against his leadership.
Unruffled by the huge debt burden amounting to the tune of N300bn as contained in the hand-over note he received from the high-powered committee headed by his deputy, Prof. Hafiz Abubakar, Ganduje embarked upon the business of governance dealing with every sector on a case by case basis for effective service delivery to be ensured.
Education, paradigm shift
On education, the amiable governor, had demonstrated his will in effecting a clear paradigm shift in making the sector strong, virile and vibrant, effecting a total renovation of schools across all the 44 local government areas in the state with new ones constructed, while students pursuing various academic courses abroad were financially supported to forge ahead.
Such a support was given against the backdrop of the persistent mudslinging from notable political gadflies, whose cynical posture had created the impression that the Ganduje administration had never done enough to prove its worth in the area of supporting Kano indigenes to pursue their respective academic programmes without hiccups.
Agriculture, cardinal thrusts
Agriculture, being one of his major cardinal thrusts, the intrepid governor left no one in the fog as to his resolve to lend credence to supporting peasant farmers to embark on massive agricultural scheme, using the Central Bank Anchor Borrower Scheme in addition to empowering the state Fertilizer production company to start producing the fertilizer needed by even neighbouring states in the north.
His penchant for making the health sector in the state robust, vibrant and effective, governor Ganduje had also taken by the bull by the horns in equipping all the health facilities across all the 44 local government areas in the state with modern and sophisticated state of the art facilities considering the challenges and competing demands associated with the issue of health care delivery.
Routine polio immunization
Upon realizing the significance of sustaining the tempo on routine polio immunization exercise supported by notable International Development agencies, and the compelling need for taking the gauntlet in reducing rampant cases of infant and maternal mortality rate, Governor Ganduje also mooted the idea of completing the multi-billion naira hospitals located at Giginyu and Zoo Road, which was started and eventually abandoned during the tenure of Malam Ibrahim Shekarau.
He had also demonstrated his unalloyed commitment in initiating various empowerment programmes, aimed at giving succour to tens of thousands of unemployed school leavers including a bevy of university graduates through the introduction of vocational training skills, ridding Kano of streets urchins and vagabonds, who might constitute a serious nuisance to the security of the state.
His support to various security agencies in the state is explicit, considering the way and manner he distributed patrol vehicles to all the agencies in the state in the face of the daunting security challenges, which is becoming the major albatross to many governors battling with either insurgency or destructive fratricidal conflicts.
Urban beautification plan
Ganduje had also proven his mettle, as a roads construction revolutionary and an apologist of urban beautification plan whose giant stride in constructing modern fly-over bridges had made Kano superbly unique and made to carve an extra-ordinary niche in the comity of states across all the nooks and crannies of the countries.
Taking into cognizance the fact that the issue of continuity in governance, is the best way to serve humanity with diligence, valour and selflessness, Ganduje has noticeably taken the bull by the horns in completing high profile projects he inherited from his predecessor in addition to initiating his own, knowing that physical infrastructure could stand to be used for eternity even by the generations yet unborn.
It is however a hard nut to crack for reporters covering Kano under his purposeful leadership to compile a comprehensive compendium of his stunning accomplishments in the saddle of leadership since he came on board due to the fact that he had satisfactorily blazed the trail in almost all spheres of human endeavour.
The prestigious award about to be given to him today by the management of Blueprint Newspaper, had demonstrated in an unambiguous term that Ganduje had lived up to his billing as a politician who had lighted his candle in both ends, the proverbial Crossing the Rubicon and eventually passing the litmus test.
Epoch-making award
The epoch-making award, had also elicited a plethora of reactions even with his ardent critics applauding the foresight and vision of the management of the Blueprint Newspaper which out of due regard and concern about the performance of the governor and other notable governors sought to confer the award without acceding to any primordial consideration.
Expressing his opinion in an interview with this reporter, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Ganduje, Alhaji Abba Anwar, described the Blueprint award as a spectacular watershed in the history of the governor, who is widely considered as a workaholic, whose score-card is extra-ordinarily unprecedented.
Recipient of many awards
According to him his boss has been a recipient of many awards both at home and in The Diaspora, stressing that as a leader whose major preoccupation is to serve humanity, with vigour, he had miraculously defied the rantings of his critics who had been crying wolf where there is none.
However the historic award according to pundits, has opened a new vista of hope for selfless and credible leadership, and that governors and other eminent personalities awarded along with him would have the courage and temerity to convince their respective followers that they have what it takes to deliver the much promised dividends of democracy in the competitive democratic era.
