Business
Association Wants A’Ibom To Protect Forests
Chairman of Forestry Association of Nigeria (FAN) in Akwa
Ibom, Prof. Enefiok Udo, has called on the state government to invest more in
forestry to check deforestation.
In an interview with newsmen in Uyo, Udo suggested the
strengthening of state ministry of environment to enable it to plant trees
across the state.
He said that the 318 sq km forest reserve in the state had
been depleted to 302 sq km as of 1994.
By today, it has drastically reduced to ignoble state
because nothing was being done to check the erosion of the forests by oil
exploration and other encroachment activities”, he said.
“We used to have forests, although not as large as Cross
River’s but gradually, we have been losing these because of encroachment and
oil prospecting activities.
“Part of the forests has been used up by some local
government councils like Ibeno and Esit Eket and, so we are gradually losing
that reserve.
“It is a bad situation, because as you know, when you have
trees, they help to check some challenges like flooding, erosion and
environmental degradation”.
He added that trees also help to conserve water, stating
that “if you remove trees around a river, you expose the river to a lot of
damage as has been done in many cases, including the current flood incident in
the country”.
Udo appealed to government and individuals to protect the
forests from being completely destroyed.
“Payment of tuition fees for undergraduate/postgraduate studies shall be subject to a maximum limit of $25,000.00 per semester,” the Manual states.
The expansion of international card limits also reflects growing confidence among lenders that foreign exchange liquidity has improved enough to support retail dollar transactions.
Speaking recently at the BusinessDay 14th Annual CEO Forum in Lagos, CBN Olayemi Cardoso, governor of the CBN said buying and selling activities now increasingly determine outcomes in the foreign exchange market, unlike in the past when market participants relied heavily on routine Central Bank interventions.
According to Cardoso, Nigeria’s net foreign exchange reserves have risen from just over $3 billion at the start of the reform programme to more than $40 billion, while gross reserves have climbed to about $52 billion, providing stronger confidence for investors and enabling the Central Bank to reserve interventions for periods of market stress rather than day-to-day liquidity management.
The restoration and expansion of international naira card spending limits are increasingly being seen as one of the clearest signs that the benefits of the CBN’s foreign exchange reforms are beginning to reach households, students and businesses making legitimate cross-border payments.
The Secretary-General and Chief Executive Officer, WEC, Dr Angela Wilkinson, disclosed this in a statement, last Thursday.
“Nigeria’s participation comes at a pivotal time as the country seeks to expand energy access, strengthen energy security, accelerate gas development and mobilise the capital required for industrialisation and sustainable economic growth.
“WEC Nigeria will convene leaders from across the energy ecosystem, apply the WEC’s globally recognised Energy Trilemma framework to Nigeria’s unique context, and promote evidence-based dialogue, practical collaboration and informed policymaking.
“It will also ensure that Nigerian and broader African perspectives contribute meaningfully to global energy conversations,” she said.
Wilkinson expressed confidence that Nigeria would play a significant leadership role at the World Energy Congress scheduled for Riyadh in April 2027 and beyond.
The statement also quoted the Chairman of WEC Nigeria, Isa, as describing the country’s participation as an opportunity to deepen national and African leadership within the global energy community through practical solutions tailored to regional development priorities.
He said the platform would promote collaboration across sectors and attract sustainable investments into Nigeria’s energy sector.
The Chief Executive Officer of WEC Nigeria, Wunti, was quoted in the statement as saying that the council would connect leadership, evidence and investment to build a secure, affordable and sustainable energy system.
“This system will be capable of driving economic growth and shared prosperity.”
According to him, the platform will also connect Nigerian institutions and businesses with international knowledge, technology, partnerships and investment opportunities through the World Energy Council’s global network.
Recall that WEC, founded in 1923, is the world’s oldest independent and impartial community of energy leaders and practitioners, advancing informed, collaborative and practical action across the global energy system.