NATIONAL NEWS
States Need To Establish Climate Change Department To Avert Nationwide Environmental Disaster, Says Minister
Minister of State for Environment, Dr. Iziaq Salako has advised all states in the country to establish a climate change department with the task of regularly reporting climate action within their state for proper national reporting on issues of climate change and to avert major environmental disasters in the country.
The Minister advised on the launch at the weekend in Abuja of the report on “Mapping Climate Change Impact, Policy and Action at the Sub-national level in Nigeria.”
Salako while stating that the Nigerian government is taking measures to address the challenges of climate change in the country, on the project launch revealed that the steps are reflected in Policy, Legal, Institutional Programme, and Projects initiatives.
The Minister explained that the project also provides the opportunity to localize the understanding of climate impacts specific to different regions and to identify the unique challenges faced by different sub-national entities.
He noted that: “This project is crucial for understanding local challenges, formulating effective policies, and coordinating climate action while facilitating coordination and collaboration among various stakeholders at the sub-national level, it will help tailor-made policymaking and action plans with the specific needs and vulnerabilities of each State.”
Salako said the Ministry of Environment was also taking steps to create awareness of climate action at sub-national levels in Nigeria by ensuring improved climate action and resilience among the 36 states.
He explained that at the Federal level, the setting up of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Climate Change has mandated the Federal Ministries, Departments, and Agencies to have Climate Change Desks/Units/Departments to ensure the mainstreaming of climate change in their sectoral development activities and have regular meetings on National Climate Actions.
The President of Society for Planet Prosperity, a nongovernmental organisation in Nigeria, Professor Chukwumerije Okereke, in his remarks during the launch, said that the report will assist states to generate income, access carbon finance and build climate resilience.
He lamented that the level of awareness of climate change in the 36 states across the country is very poor.
Okereke explained that the Society for Planet Prosperity has been working with the Federal Minister of Environment, specifically the Department for Climate Change, and the Nigerian governors’ forum to do a mapping to understand the level of climate awareness in the 36 states of the country including the FCT.
He said: “We also know that the federal government has put in place several major institutions and policies for climate action, but you don’t take climate change action at the federal level whether you’re planting forests, whether you’re doing erosion control, it has to happen at a state-owned level, etc but everybody knows we do not know the state of climate action in the sub-national level this is a major gap that has been present for the past 12 years since action on climate change in Nigeria.
“So we decided to tackle this gap by finding out what states are doing on climate change.” He
He noted that only eight states have climate policies out of the 36 states in Nigeria 7 have climate change action plans, while 12 states have captured climate change in their state budget.
He said the report shows that states need to put in action to drive climate change action policy plans while adding that the report will be forwarded to the state government across the country to help them develop policies and plans on climate change resilience.
Chairman Security and Special Interventions and Climate Change, North East Development Commission, Sam Onuigbo, on his part, urged the Governors and the Local Government Chairmen to take the threats posed by climate change very seriously to avert major environmental disaster.
He advised that Governors and the Local Government Chairmen must make adequate budgetary provisions for improved climate change action and resilience.
Onuigbo said: “Mapping Climate Change Impact, Policy, and Action in Nigeria’s project aims to map the impact of climate change in the 36 states, and 774 local government areas to analyse the existing policies and actions in these sub-nationals, and identify the support needs of these sub-nationals to effectively domesticate climate change policies to attract climate fund and investments.”
The Niger state Governor, Mr Mohammed Baggo said that the mapping of climate impacts, policy, and actions at the subnational level is crucial in formulating effective strategies to combat climate change.
He said this will allow state governments to understand vulnerabilities, identify areas that require immediate attention, and develop tailored policies and action plans.
The report was launched by a non-governmental organisation in Nigeria, Society for Planet and Prosperity, in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and the Nigeria Governors’ Forum.
The report is expected to help citizens, especially states and local governments, understand that climate change is a major developmental challenge facing Nigeria and how to address its impact.
Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar has underscored the urgent need for concerted global action to address the pressing challenges of climate change.
The Minister observed while speaking at the ongoing 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Tuggar said that Nigeria is leading the fight against climate change in Africa by setting ambitious and realistic goals.
He said: “Nigeria has ratified its commitments through a Climate Change Act and a National Council on Climate Change (NCCC). Through these, Nigeria set ambitious, albeit realistic, goals, and I am proud to state that we have hit the ground running, transforming our commitments into tangible climate action.”
He emphasized the critical role of collaboration, innovation, and shared responsibility in combating the escalating climate crisis.
Tuggar also posited that “Nigeria is on track to deploy 100 Electric buses, next year with plans to increase to 1,000 E-buses, aiming to become the country with the largest electric mass transit fleet in Africa. This initiative will reduce emissions and indicate my administration’s commitment to catalyzing the market for green project deployments, job creation, and industrialization across critical sectors.”
The Minister while acknowledging the severity of the climate emergency, highlighted the impact of climate change on vulnerable communities and ecosystems across the globe.
He stressed the importance of upholding the principles outlined in the Paris Agreement, emphasizing the need for all nations to commit to ambitious and transparent climate targets.
He also reaffirmed the commitment of Nigeria to its nationally determined contributions, underscoring the nation’s dedication to achieving net-zero emissions by 2060.
Tuggar however called upon the international community to transcend political differences and work collaboratively towards meaningful and immediate climate solutions., expressing a resounding commitment to fostering international cooperation, encouraging innovation, and securing a sustainable future for generations to come.
He highlighted Nigeria’s support for initiatives that advance climate resilience, technology transfer, and capacity-building in developing nations, and emphasized the importance of financial commitments from developed nations to assist developing countries in their transition to low-carbon economies.
Abia State Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has reiterated that his government is focused on delivering good governance to the people of the State.
Governor Otti spoke on Monday when he met with a delegation of Bulgarian diplomats led by the Ambassador of Bulgaria to Nigeria, His Excellency, Yanko Yordanov.
In a statement from Kazie Uko, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Otti said that his government was very serious and focused on impacting positively the lives of the people of the state.
“The government we have in Abia State right now is very serious. We are focused on delivering good governance to our people, and good governance speaks to welfare, it speaks to healthcare delivery, it speaks to education, and of course security and economic well-being of the people, and we are single-minded in delivering those to our people,” he said.
Governor Otti, who said that his government was willing to partner with the Bulgarian government, stated that he was impressed with the areas the Bulgarian government had chosen to assist the State.
“I am very happy in the areas that you have chosen to intervene and to support us; food is everything and there’s no important security you will be talking about without talking about food security,” the Governor declared.
According to Governor Otti, Abia is blessed with good vegetation and boasts of agricultural products such as cocoa, oil palm, rubber, cashew, and maize among others.
“We are luckily blessed with good vegetation and naturally, we produce a lot of food. I believe that with improved seedlings and better technology and of course, the training you talked about, there is no better time to come to us than now. We are still at the drawing table,” he enthused.
Dr. Otti, widely acknowledged as the most performing governor among his peers, said his government would welcome a trade partnership with Bulgaria and access to the European market for products from AbiaState.
“I believe that this is the time we should begin to look at it as a serious business. We are happy and we are willing to work with you at any level that you want to make a success out of the land God has blessed us with and all products that can come out of it,” he said, adding that the State would submit itself to superior training and technology.
Earlier, the Bulgarian Ambassador to Nigeria, said the delegation was in the State to seek collaboration with Abia to boost agriculture, trade, education, and human capital development.
“In more concrete terms, the project we wish to bring to your attention will be offering comprehensive understanding about the need to develop, not only economic ties but also the people-to-people exchange,” Yordanov said.
He further explained that the proposed partnership would come with a training support package in agricultural technology and skills.
“Abia State is widely known as a State where all the opportunities exist. This is why my country and private investors desire to collaborate and develop a partnership with Your Excellency,” the Ambassador explained.
In attendance at the meeting with the Governor were some members of the State Executive Council, among whom were the Deputy Governor, Engr Ikechukwu Emetu; Secretary to the State Government, Prof Kenneth Kalu; Commissioner for Trade, Commerce, and Industry, Dr. ChimezieUkaegbu; Commissioner for Agriculture, Prof Monica Ironkwe and Commissioner for Education, Prof Uche Eme-Uche.
There was also the Special Adviser to the Governor on Trade, Commerce, and Industry, Chief Nwaka Inem, and Special Adviser to the Governor on Agriculture, Dr. Cliff Agbaeze.
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Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, has urged Nigeria to compete with China in terms of production rather than delegation size to a specialised meeting of experts.
Obi blasted the waste and inappropriate imitation of a country painstakingly pulling its people out of poverty in a series of tweets on his X handle on Sunday in response to the growing big number of Nigeria delegates to the United Nations, COP28 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Reports from Dubai show that Nigeria equals China with 1411 contingents to the conference, the highest in the global event aside from the host UAE.
But in a satirical response to the size of Nigeria’s contingent Obi said “In a twist of sad irony, let me congratulate the giant of Africa, Nigeria, for matching the great China, with the same number of contingents at the ongoing COP28 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Nigeria’s contingent to COP28 totaled 1411, the same number as the Chinese contingents.
The LP standard bearer noted that While China’s budget for 2024 is about $4 trillion, about $2,860 per head; Nigeria’s budget is about $33 billion, about $165 per head. China has a high Human Development Index, HDI, with a ranking of 79 out of 191 countries measured, and Nigeria has a low HDI, with a ranking of 163 out of 191 countries measured. Nigeria has more people living in ‘Multi-Dimensional’ poverty than China, despite China having seven times our population.
“Most importantly, the vast majority of those in the Nigerian delegation to COP28 are non-relevant civil servants or relations, friends, and hangers-on of high government officials. Most of them hardly understand or have anything to do with Climate Change.
“This huge contingent is at public expense and at a time when most Nigerians can hardly afford food and basic needs as a result of economic hardship. I pray earnestly that a day will come soon enough when we can focus on competing with China on productivity and the miracle of migrating the highest number of its citizens out of poverty over a relatively short time.
“As we have kept emphasising, we must stop waste as an addition to our government and nation. We urgently need to cut the cost of governance and invest in production.
Obi finally stated that “we need to de-emphasise unnecessary ceremony and showmanship as a mode of government behaviour.
“We need to tie spending to necessity and national Priority pointing out that a New Nigeria is possible but we only need to do the reasonable and the necessary.”
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