Environmental Sector: Minister gives breakdown report on performance
… As FG develops energy transition plan to achieve SDG7 by 2030, Net Zero by 2050
… A total of 1,337 persons benefited from remediation efforts/impact – Ikeazor
By Gloria Akudoro, Abuja.
The Minister of State for Environment, Chief Sharon Ikeazor on Monday outlined the breakdown report of performances so far as well as six (6) priority areas of focus of the sector in 2022.
“The 2022 mandate of the Ministry is to: Secure a quality environment conducive for health and wellbeing of the citizens, fauna and flora, Promote sustainable use of natural resources, Promote research and development on issues that affect the environment, Restore and maintain the ecosystem, ecological process and preserve biodiversity, Raise public awareness and promote understanding of linkages of the environment Cooperate/collaborate with relevant MDAs, the private sector, NGOs and international organizations on environmental matters.”
Ikeazor gave the announcement during her ministerial press briefing on the environment sector at the NAF Conference Center in Abuja. An event which features the representative of Minister of Works and Housing, Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Niger Delta Affairs, Eta Solomon Enang, Ambassador of Hungary to Nigeria, Samdor and other dignitaries present.
Although, Nigeria has been facing various environmental degradation such as desertification in the North, flooding and coastal erosion in the South, deforestation, land degradation, pollution, loss of biodiversity and climate change and are adversely affecting the lives and livelihood of its citizens.
However, the Minister said the Ministry has been cooperating with development partners, line ministries, MDAs, NGOs and CSOs, to address and ameliorate these problems through it policies, action plans and environmental regulations and projects and some established policies that have supported the implementation of the Ministry’s mandate.
In the area of climate change mitigation and adaptation, she stressed that the ministry has been able to achieve the Climate Change Act, in November 2021 which provides for the establishment of the National Council on Climate Change, and also have the powers of policymaking and decisions on all matters related to climate change in Nigeria.
Ikeazor further explained that the Act also establishes the Climate Change Fund which will help Nigeria address issues of adaptation, loss and damage, innovations to reduce GHG emissions, development of technology for renewable energy and transition to a green economy and amongst other.
“As part of efforts to ensure that the country meets its target of attaining net zero by 2060, the Act provides for the phenomenon of carbon budgeting which will be set in a five-yearly cycle with annual targets assigned to private and public entities, with the Council imbued with the powers to monitor and ensure that set budgets and targets are met as at when due.
“Nigeria has developed an energy transition plan which shows a detailed roadmap for Nigeria to achieve both SDG 7 by 2030 and Net Zero by 2060. This roadmap highlights the scale of the effort required for a developing nation to achieve net zero including the scale of financing, renewables to be deployed and the importance of transition fuels.
“To meet our Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) target and fast track our low carbon development pledges to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Nigerian Sovereign Green Bond was issued in line with our Economic Recovery Growth Plan (ERGP). These Green Bonds are used in financing environmentally friendly projects through debts tied to sustainability targets.
“In collaboration with the Energy Commission of Nigeria through the support and expertise of the UK government, we launched the Nigeria Energy Calculator, as a tool for generating evidence to support intelligent policy making around energy and climate change.
“In December 2021, We launched the Deep Decarbonization project with the support of the French Development agency (AFD). This project is a National research and capacity development project for the implementation of a Deep Decarbonization pathway program for Nigeria,” she emphasized.
The Minister who also gave a run down of the achievements of the Ogoni Clean-up since it was flagged off by the present administration in June 2016, disclosing that, “So far, a total of one thousand three hundred and thirty-seven (1,337) persons have been trained, employed, and earned income to support their livelihood through the impact of remediation efforts thereby enhancing local economy.”
Regarding the livelihood support status, she said alternative livelihood development for Ogoni Youths, Women and able Men as well as physically challenged is also a key activity recommended in the UNEP report. Both artisanal refiners and other youths are entitled to be given the opportunity to develop and expand their existing skills or acquire new skill sets to build their capacity and empowerment.
According to report, “In 2020, a set of 400 women commenced training by UNITAR in agribusiness at Songhai Farms in the areas of aquaculture, poultry, cropping and food processing. The plan is to train total of 1,200 women in agribusiness.
“Needs Assessment forms were distributed to 5,000 youths in December 2021, to capture the choice skill sets of Ogoni Youths, Women and able Men as well as physically challenged people. These Needs Assessment forms are targeted at the artisanal refiners to provide them with alternative livelihoods through acquisition of new skillsets.
“500 community youths will be employed as local security at various HYPREP sites in Ogoni land.”
In his remark, the Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola SAN ably represented by the Ministry’s Minister of State, Mr. Mu’azu Jaji Sambo, commended the Ministry for its commitment since inception of this administration.
He said, “In 2015, about 35 percent of total land area was affected by desertification and remarkably Nigeria has rehabilitated over 1,598 hectares of these areas.”
He urged the Ministry of Environment to focus more on expanding energy green while carrying out its mandates.
