Environment
Body Embarks On Waste Management, Sanitation Advocacy
The Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) says it has embarked on waste management and sanitation advocacy campaign activities in six markets in Ijebu North Local Government Area, Ogun State.
Dr Muhtari Aminu-Kano, the Director-General of NCF said this in a statement in Abuja.
NCF is one of the foremost environmental NGOs in Nigeria dedicated to nature conservation and sustainable development.
Aminu-Kano said that NCF received for the second time, Aspire Coronation Trust (ACT) Foundation grant to advocate for actions that promote proper waste separation, sorting, management and disposal in selected markets of Ijebu North LGA, Ogun State.
“This is geared towards making our environment sustainable and habitable for future generations.
“As part of the objective of the project, titled: Improving Community-Market Sustainability in Waste Management in Ijebu North LGA, Ogun State, it hopes to reduce the threat and health risks posed by dirty environments while empowering the beneficiaries to take responsibility for proper sanitation in the markets.”
He said that the six selected markets are Obada Station I & II, Ojowo Atikori, Awa, Mamu, Oru/Awa, and Ago-Iwoye.
“The project is being carried out over a period of 12 months and it commenced in September 2018.
“It has been divided into five major phases: Market Entry; Market Sensitisation; Clean up Exercise; Monitoring & Evaluation; and Post Project Supervision.
“We carried out sensitisation and clean up exercises at Obada Station market and Ojowo-Atikori market, where market women and men trouped out in their hundreds to participate.”
He said that the project would also provide modern waste bins for each market at stall level which would aid proper disposal of waste generated in the market.
“Before the intervention of this project, the markets did not have such waste management facility characterising the market place with heaps of waste dumps sighted across the market.
“It will also build capacity of Health and Sanitation Officers in Ijebu North LGA to further smoothen the relationship of the officers and market traders toward better sanitation in the area.
Mr Rufus Ayebusuwa, the Director, Environmental Sanitation, Ijebu North LGA advised the market traders on the importance of sanitation to human wellbeing particularly in eradicating infection and disease.
Mr Solomon Adefolu of NCF advised the market traders on the need to inculcate a proper waste management culture, especially in waste sorting and disposal.
He further assured the market of NCF’s support in delivering an efficient waste disposal mechanism by working with all stakeholders.
Chief Mudashiru Adebola, the Baba Loja of Obada Station Market thanked NCF for bringing such initiative to the market to compliment the effort of the government in ensuring clean environment.
He also led the people in the clean-up exercise across the market stalls which lasted for over 60 minutes.
NCF has successfully implemented a similar waste management advocacy campaign in 17 communities of Eti-Osa LGA in Lagos in 2017/2018, where large to medium size outdoor waste bins were provided for the communities to improve their waste disposal system.
President, Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Mrs Margaret Oguntala, has inaugurated the construction of 18 units residential terrace in highbrow Alausa area of Lagos toward bridging the nation’s shelter gap.
Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation has launched the 1GOV Enterprise Content Management System (ECMS) to enhance digital governance and improve service delivery.
The launch, held on Thursday in Abuja, marks the ministry’s transition from paper-based operations to a smart, integrated and technology-driven work environment.
The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, said the deployment aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
Utsev said the system would improve data management, streamline workflows and strengthen transparency and accountability across the ministry.
According to him, the ECMS will enhance productivity, preserve institutional memory and reduce operational costs in the ministry.
Launching the platform, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, said the initiative is a major step in public sector reform.
She said the ministry’s mandate affects Nigerians through water supply, sanitation, irrigation, river basin development and climate resilience programmes.
Walson-Jack said the 1GOV ECMS enables secure digital records management, automated workflows, electronic approvals and real-time collaboration across MDAs.
She added that the deployment aligns with the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021–2025 and the directive for full digitalisation by December 2025.
“Effective governance cannot afford delays caused by manual bottlenecks or avoidable inefficiencies,” she said.
She directed that all official correspondence in the ministry must henceforth be processed through approved digital registry channels.
In her remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Dr Emanso Umobong, said the system would eliminate workflow inefficiencies and improve service delivery.
She urged staff to fully adopt the platform and engage in continuous capacity building.
Research shows that local communities and citizens living at the grassroots, particularly women, are directly impacted by the environmental degradation, flooding and others that result from these manifestations.
In the light of this, non-governmental organisation, Ese Usamali Foundation For Rural Development (EUFORDe), has held a forum for women and other members of oil impacted communities, tagged: ‘Voices from the Grassroots,’ and aimed at building their resilience and mitigation efforts against climate change and environmental degradation
The forum, with the theme: ‘Building Resilience for Oil Spill Impacted Ahoada Communities,’ organised with support from Global Green Grants, was held in Ahoada Community, Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State, on December 5, 2025.
Executive Director of Ese Usamali Foundation For Rural Development, Mercy Elemchukwu-James, said women are at the forefront of efforts to mitigate the impact of climate change and environmental degradation.
The event, therefore, was “designed for community women impacted by oil spills, flooding and other environmental degradation,” she said.
Community women were enlightened by resource persons on new opportunities for sustainable agricultural practices and water management techniques that cushion the impact of oil spills.
Lectures were also delivered on Self-care and Trauma-care, with focus on physical and mental health of the population, and increasing access to health-related resources and services; as well as on Food security and women’s critical role in decision making in oil spill and flood situations in communities
Elemchukwu-James pointed out that the event created a forum for stakeholders, civil society actors and others to dialogue on measures at advancing inclusive and sustainable livelihoods of community women.
She stressed the need for collaborative efforts towards achieving mitigation efforts, while underscoring EUFORDe’s commitment to “fostering partnerships as a critical driver for achieving a healthy community and sustainable development.”
Elemchukwu-James described participants’ design of ‘Community Resilience Plan,’ to manage and combat environmental degradation and crises, as part of achievements recorded at the event.
The forum also witnessed the launching of EUFORDs’ Center For Resilience and Rights.
“This center is established to build resilience as Trauma-Care for victims of environmental degradation, support for survivors of Gender Based Violence (GBV) and a platform where victims of environmental injustice and other GBV cases can seek redress,” Elemchukwu-James said.
Participants celebrated the milestones achieved and charted a path toward greater impact in the coming years. They also described the event as “an inspiring and transformative experience.”
Elemchukwu-James said the awareness creation workshop “reaffirms EUFORDe’s mission to create an equitable society in which the rights and capacities of women, youth, children and underprivileged are integrated in the socio-economic planning and development of communities, for the attainment of equity and peace.
