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U.S. Govt announces $5m grant to AfDB
The U.S government says it will provide a five-million-dollar grant to the African Development Bank (AfDB) to support efforts to reduce methane gas emission across Africa.
U.S. Special Presidential envoy for climate, Mr John Kerry made the announcement at a breakfast event held on the sideline of the ongoing 18th African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) being held in Dakar, Senegal.
This is according to a statement from the Communication and External Relations Department of AfDB on Thursday.
The conference which began on Sept. 12, and would end on Sept. 16, has as its theme “Securing People’s Well-being and Ensuring Environmental Sustainability in Africa.”
According to the statement, methane accounts for about half of the net rise in global average temperature since the pre-industrial era.
Kerry said more than 25 countries on the continent had joined the Global Methane Pledge, “a resounding level of support for the importance of methane in keeping 1.5 degrees within reach.”
“I am very pleased that AfDB is responding to the increased global attention on methane emissions and is planning to increase their own focus on methane abatement in coming years,” he added.
The Global Methane pledge, inaugurated during COP26, targets reducing emissions of methane by at least 30 per cent from 2020 levels over the next seven years.
Welcoming the contributions, AfDB Vice President for Power, Energy, Climate and Green Growth, Mr Kevin Kariuki said the bank planned to create activities within the Africa Climate Change Fund (ACCF) to support methane reduction.
“With the support of the U.S. government, and other donors and non-state actors, we intend to create a dedicated pillar of activities within our Africa Climate Change Fund.
“To support methane abatement including working with countries to include methane in their Nationally Defined Contributions and develop pipelines of methane abatement projects for further investment.
“This will provide an excellent foundation for increased focus on methane emissions,” Kariuki said.
The AfDB would be releasing a methane baseline reporting covering waste and energy sector methane emissions across Africa at the forthcoming COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.
The grant, subject to the completion of U.S. domestic procedures and approvals, would go to the multi-donor ACCF, which is managed by the bank.
The fund supports a broad range of activities covering climate resilience and low-carbon growth.
Additional funding was also promised by the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) and the Global Methane Hub to tackle methane emissions in African countries.
The Global Methane Hub would contribute five million dollars over the next three years.
The hub funds methane mitigation efforts.
The coalition, a voluntary partnership of governments, intergovernmental organisations, businesses, and research institutions, would provide 1.2 million dollars.
The five-day 18th Session of AMCEN ends on Friday and is organised by the United Nations Environment Programme.
It provides African environment ministers a forum to offer policy guidance that will contribute to strengthening Africa’s voice at the COP27.
The ACCF was established in April 2014 to support African countries in building their resilience to the negative impacts of climate change and in transitioning to sustainable low-carbon growth.
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, says the FCT Administration has begun the procurement processes for drones to boost the security architecture of the territory.
Wike disclosed this when the Consul-General of the Embassy of Hungary in Nigeria, Mr Endre Deri visited him in Abuja on Thursday.
The minister, while responding to the consul-general comments on the need for drones, said, “whether we want some drones? Yes, there is no going back”.
He promised to discuss with the security experts, to consider a conversation with Deri on the type of drones that would be effective and efficient work based on the terrain of FCT.
He said that security was part of President Bola Tinubu’s priority in his “Renewed Hope” agenda.
The minister said that the security interventions in the FCT were already yielding results, stressing that the incidents of insecurity had drastically reduced.
“You too can attest to the fact that Abuja is safer now, because of the way we have been able to tackle the issue,” he added.
On agriculture, Wike said that the FCTA was open to collaborate with Hungry through Public-Private Partnership (PPP), adding that the administration was willing to provide the needed land.
“The issue of agriculture is very key, and I know your country is doing well in agriculture.
“We can collaborate and partner in terms of PPP. We are willing to provide land, if you can reach those concerns we can start the process.
“Let us also know what they intend to produce in order to address the issue of food insecurity in FCT.
Earlier, Deri expressed the willingness of Hungry to partner with FCTA to improve security in the territory.
The consul general, who commended the minister for improving the security situation in the FCT, expressed the willingness of his country to support the FCT with the latest drone technology.
“We are also interested in partnering with the FCTA in the areas of agriculture to boost food security and food safety for residents of the FCT,” he added.
The Ogun House of Assembly on Thursday passed a resolution seeking for the urgent clampdown on the activities of cultists in the state.
Mr Bisi Oyedele (APC-Ipokia/Idiroko), the sponsor of the resolution, said during plenary in Abeokuta that there was also an urgent need for Gov. Dapo Abiodun to appoint a commissioner for youths in the state.
Oyedele noted that the incessant cult killings in some parts of the state, especially Abeokuta, which had started over six weeks ago needed to be addressed as soon as possible.
The lawmaker alleged that no fewer than 10 individuals had lost their lives to cult-related violence within the last 42 days.
He stated that the rate at which lives were being lost in the state capital remained worrisome and baffling.
“Recent incidents include the shooting in broad daylight of five individuals at different locations within Abeokuta.
” Also worrisome is the continuous killings among young people across the state, which is adversely affecting businesses and tarnishing the reputation of our dear state,” he said.
Oyedele stressed that there was need for urgent intervention from both security operatives and the state government to address the escalating violence in other parts of the state.
He said that the anti-cultism section of the State Police Command must enhance intelligence gathering and take proactive measures to curb the reoccurring menace across the state.
“There is an urgent need for the governor to appoint a commissioner for youths, who will be saddled with the responsibility of providing productive initiatives for young people.
“He will also have to promote continuous engagements across the state, and drive youth-related policies and programme in the State Executive Council.
“Government should focus on continuous human capital development through job facilitation and enhance the skills of youths across the state.
“We call on the government to prioritise the aforementioned initiatives, as the time to address the root causes of social unrest and provide sustainable solutions for the youth population is now,” he said.
Other members who spoke on the resolution called on security agencies, especially the police, to do more to put an end to the issue of cultism in the state.
They called for effective youth engagements, while also calling on residents to always provide information to the police.
The Speaker, Oludaisi Elemide (APC-Odeda), implored everyone, government and parents, to be up and doing and also report suspicious moves within their environment.
The Majority Leader, Yusuf Serif (APC-Ado Odo Ota 1), moved the motion for the passage of the resolution, seconded by the Minority Leader, Lukman Adeleye (PDP-Odogbolu).
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