Environmental Projects: Group Harps On Gender Equality

The Global Environment
Facility (GEF), the largest sponsor of environmental initiatives, says it places emphasis on gender mainstreaming in supporting environmental projects.
GEF’s Desk Officer in the Federal Ministry of Environment, Mrs Halima Mohammed made this known at the 8th GEF National Steering Committee in Abuja.
Mohammed spoke during a presentation on “GEF at a Glance”, said.“GEF is emphasising gender mainstreaming through its programmes and projects which present opportunities to increase human empowerment and effectiveness of its investment in enhancing global environmental benefits.
“GEF recognises gender equality as an important social goal with associated implications for the projects that received GEF support”.
“The GEF aims to achieve global environmental benefits and sustainable development by promoting issues related to gender equality as they affect men and women for their empowerment,’’ she said.
The official said that Nigeria was making appreciable efforts to redeem outstanding pledges to the GEF Trust Fund.
It would be recalled that, Nigeria has pledged a total of 11 million Special Drawing Rights (SDR) contributions to the trust fund.
The Tide gathered that Nigeria is supposed to be contributing at least four million SDR to the fund for each replenishment or cycle.
Nigeria has redeemed its pledges for the first and second replenishments and paid part of the third replenishment.
Mohammed, an Assistant Director in the Federal Ministry of Environment, said that the country had achieved appreciable efforts in implementing GEF projects.
The director said that Nigeria’s participation at the last GEF’s Assembly and other related meetings in Mexico in May was commended by international partners.
“Nigeria was able to win three more projects to complete the GEF-5 cycle. “Also, Nigeria championed an exhibition platform that enabled her to display the proceeds of GEF activities, which attracted more investors and the world’s interest to Nigeria for possible collaboration between her and other countries,’’ she said.
“This allocation is under the System for Transparent Allocation of Resources (STAR), which allows GEF to allocate funds to countries to implement projects in specific focal areas,’’ she said.
She said that Nigeria joined GEF in 1994 and had been benefiting immensely from grants to implement environmental projects.

Sole Administrator, Rivers State Waste Management Agency (RIWAMA) ,Mr Ade Adeogun (right), conferring with Manager, Public and Government Affairs, BRT, Onne, Mobil Production, Mr. Adeyemi Fakayejo, during the donation of a refuse compactor truck to RIWAMA in Port Harcourt, recently